From The Abyss
by PepperHereLoudAndClear
Summary: Emmett slipped up and killed a human. Bella, while fighting against Edward and Rosalie, does everything she can to bring him back from his darkest hour. With her feelings for Edward wavering, what good can come from this? Em&B A&J E&R M for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys. Pepper here with her first story on this account. Now, I used to have an account where I mixed all my stories together but to be honest, it got very confusing. So, those who don't know me and are here for my twilight fanfictions—Don't worry about it! Hahaha! If you recognize me from other stories you can feel free to point that out.**

**So, I've always liked Twilight even before it got all big and blown up. Even now, when it is this huge craze, I still enjoy pulling out Eclipse and reading it. (: And, I've also been a HUGE Emmett and Bella fan from the beginning. Edward and Bella stories catch my eyes once in a while, but I really enjoy Emmett and Bella and Jasper and Bella. So, if you are here looking for some good old Eddie boy, click back now. But if you are here to give this a chance and enjoy Emmett and Bella, then enjoy! **

**(: Interested in a plot for a story but not sure how to get it down? Just ask me. **

**Summary:**

**During Eclipse, everything started to go back to normal for Bella Swan. Though there is a notable strain on her and Edward's relationship, she welcomes the family back with open arms. While preparations for the wedding are going on, Bella finds a close friendship with Emmett and Jasper. When the family suddenly becomes quiet to Bella, she discovers that Emmett had slipped up and killed a human girl. Forced into a depression and isolation, no one—Not even Rosalie—can get Emmett to recover. Will he let Bella in? Or will he shun her and his family away forever. **

**Enjoy my lovelies! P.S, In here Edward proposed to Bella sooner than in the book. So Jacob hasn't kissed her and she's barely seen him. P.S.S Edward is kinda a jerk in my story here. He reminds of my ex. So he will be a jerk. Yayy! (:**

**Bella POV**

I was not most girls. Things were finally feeling normal again for the first time in months. Well, as normal as they can possibly be when your dating—or should I say engaged *Cringe—to a vampire and are planning on becoming a part of his family. Yes me, Isabella Swan, was engaged to Adonis God Edward Cullen and I wish I could think that with more enthusiasm.

See, I knew that eventually Edward and I would get married. I mean I wanted to spend my eternity with him so marriage was sure to come. However, I wasn't exactly thrilled on the idea. Most girls my age ( A ripe old 18 ) would die to find a man so loving and eager for commitment. Alas, I wasn't like most girls my age and hated the thought. My parents got married really young and look how it turned out for them?

Renee had recently married Phil and was trying to have a child—but not before she went through years of reckless behavior and childish acts. Charlie, my dearest father, wasn't seeing anyone and had slumped into quite the sad streak when my mother left him. Though, Jacob and I have been trying to get him and Sue Clearwater a little closer ever since her husband Harry's death.

Ah, and then there was Jacob. My Jacob Black was and forever would be my best friend, my savior, my sun, and my biggest pain in the ass. It was Jacob, not anyone else, who managed to pull me from my dark time of 'The months that shall not be spoken of' and for that, I was forever grateful.

It didn't come without complications though, as I beginning to see was always going to happen to me. Because of the Cullen's being in Forks next to La Push, Jacob was changed into a werewolf even after they left. Things were difficult but I never had a problem with it, as if it was something he could chose anyway. Jeeze. But the other major complication that came with cocky Jacob Black was his feelings. They were something I couldn't deny although I hated to admit it. He loved me and we both knew it.

At the thought of Jacob, as much as he brought chaos into my life, I frowned. I missed him immensely and if I had been any other girl, I would have just got up and drove to see him.

And that brings me back to the reason of my inner monologue—I was not any other girl. No, I was dating a vampire who, not to mention being mortal enemies with my best friend, was now more over protective since our months of _separation._ Jacob and I had been passing notes through our fathers who were the closest of friends, and his most recent one reminded me painfully of how much I missed him and how he needed me.

Jacob had every right to be angry with me—even if I had reason to. He told Charlie about my Thrill Seeking Adrenaline Junkie fueled motorcycle runs and I was grounded until what seemed to be, the end of time. But Jacob had a much more emotional reason to be angry. I took the Cullen's back so easily, and this broke his heart. I was a horrible person. But apart from my horrible behavior, I was still sitting on my bed contemplating on using the keys in my hand to drive and see Jake.

When I finally made my decision, I flew out of my room and down the stairs.

"Bella? Where are you going? You're grounded, remember?" My father questioned when I reached my jacket.

"Char-Dad. I need to see Jake and apologize for our stupid argument." I begged. At the mention of his favorite boy in my life, Charlie eagerly granted me permission to leave. I thanked him and ran out of the house to my rusty old babe of a truck.

I nearly screamed in excitement when my truck actually turned on. I thought by taking so long to decide, Alice would've seen and told Edward like the little traitor she was. I pushed the speed limit and sighed in relief when I crossed the border.

**This is where that whole, Jacob steals a kiss happens in the book. Bella's mad and has already punched our favorite rock hard werewolf in the face—successfully, fracturing her hand. Oh, he did a much smoother and much more thorough job of kissing her though. ;) This, is the car ride back to home where Jake is driving**.

"Bells, please talk to me." Jake begged with a smile playing on his lips. My hand was still throbbing and his smirk about the kiss made it throb more. "I really am sorry." He whispered, seriously this time. I looked at him and realized, that I wasn't angry any more. I didn't want to be mad at him any longer.

"It's fine, Jake. A warning would've been nice." I teased honestly. Jake kissing me did ignite something within and I felt terribly guilty for feeling that way about anyone other than Edward. But, I had been rejected my Edward _again_ last night for my only human request and I was sick of being frustrated

"Thanks Bells." He sighed in relief. I laughed and scooted closer to him, letting him warm me up when my truck refused to blow out hot air. "So, how did I do for my first time?" He asked with a wink. I snorted and started laughing. We were still on La Push side so I figured I could be honest with him.

"Promise you won't replay this in your mind when he's around?" I asked, knowing damn well he know who I meant. He nodded and wrapped his pinky around mine.

"It was the best kiss I've ever had." I admitted with a blush.

"He must not kiss you well at all!" Jake shouted with a laugh. I saw it then, my Jake Toothy Smile.

I sighed. "No. Only like I'm a doll." I growled. Jake wrapped his arm around me and laughed to the point I could _hear_ the cockyness in him. I just made his day, or maybe, year.

"Well if you ever need a test subject, I'm your man." He joked and I laughed kissing his cheek. I was glad that I wasn't mad, but upset that it didn't bother me that much. I knew Jake was going to imprint on someone and I had this terrifying feeling it was going to be soon.

"I may hold you on you that." I teased. "And…hey Jake?" He looked down at me for a second before gazing back out onto the road. "I know it's not a good time to ever bring this up with you, but if you ever do imprint." He snarled. "Promise you won't cut me out of your life." His body, which had tensed, relaxed after a moment.

"I promise Bells. Love or not, you're always going to be my best friend." I smiled up at him but when his eyes tightened I looked and groaned in disapproval. Edward's shiny Volvo was parked in my driveway. I sighed heavily when we parked and Jake opened my door for me since my hand still hurt.

"Sorry for punching you, by the way. You just get so cocky sometimes!" I said lightly tapping him, but instantly regretting it when my hand throbbed even more. He laughed and I stuck my tongue out at him and stomped in the house.

"Bella! You're home early!" Charlie shouted from the kitchen. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 11:30 PM. This wasn't early but when I saw Edward follow Charlie out of the kitchen, I realized he only said that to anger him. I growled and went straight to the freezer, passing Edward to get some ice.

"What happened to your hand?" Edward asked with wide eyes. He immediately glared at Jake. Charlie and Jake, understanding that I was hurt just looked at me to make sure _I _was okay.

"Oh, I punched Jacob in the face." I said sticking my tongue out again and holding an ice pack that Carlisle got me against my hand. Jake looked down sheepishly when I used his proper name and I giggled.

"Oh, and why did you do that?" Charlie asked Jake. Jake laughed when Edward stiffened and I stood next to him to calm him down.

"Well, I kissed her. And she overreacted like the Bells we all know and love." Charlie laughed loudly and I play glared at him.

"Edward." I whispered so Charlie wouldn't hear. "Relax. You're making a scene." His body relaxed but his eyes and mouth didn't.

"Next time, use my steel bat Bella!" Charlie joked causing Jake and I to laugh. It seemed like everyone was making light of the situation, except Edward. Charlie noticed my ice pack and went back into Dad mode. "Hey, do you think we should go to the hospital?" I immediately shook my head when Edward spoke.

"Actually, to save you insurance money, why don't I take her to my father since he is off this evening. I'll have her back soon, Chief Swan." Charlie considered it and deciding it was the best option for _me_, nodded defeated.

"Don't wait up, Dad!" I shouted as we all exited the house. By the time I shut the door, the _men_ were already death glaring each other. "Alright guys, drop it. Edward, yes Jacob kissed me and I punched him for it. We resolved it already."

"If you ever touch her again without her permission, I swear—" I cut him off by pulling his shirt and shaking my head.

"And if she asks me to?" Jake replied.

"Then I won't kill you." Edward said flatly. "Let's go, Bella." He stated coldly, getting in his car. I looked at Jake and rolled my eyes but held him to me.

"Don't make the next visit be so far away?" He asked. I nodded, kissed him on the cheek, then got into my fiancé's car. He drove off quicker than I could've imagined.

"Don't make a big deal out of this." I commanded softly.

"How can I not, Bella? That _dog_ just kissed my fiancé! How can you not be furious about this?" I sighed.

"I was, otherwise I wouldn't have punched him. But I'm sick of being mad at him, Edward. He's my best friend and I want things to go back to normal with us." I snapped. It was silent the rest of the ride to his house. When we got there, I opened the door before he could and marched into the house.

"Hey Bellsy! Fall down again?" Emmett teased when I walked in. I glared at him and he cowered next to Rosalie.

"No, Emmy, I punched a werewolf in the face." Emmett roared in laughter and jumped up to hug me.

"You're awesome you know that?" He laughed. Ever since they got back and Edward has been all Mom-like with me, Emmett and I became very close.

"I know, I know. Hey you want to play Super Smash me next time I come over?" Emmett laughed and agreed.

"I want to be in that too." Jasper, who was now at the bottom of the steps, chime in. Much to Edward's dismay, Jasper and I became very close also and it has started some arguments but he can get over it.

"Oh, can you help me with Zelda: Twilight Princess too?" I asked Jasper earning a smirk and a nod. Only Emmett and Jasper knew what Super Smash Bros. really stood for. While the rest of the family was away hunting and the three of us were left alone, I told them about a lot of my problems lately and SSB stood for anger with Edward. Just like Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess stood for Jacob. So know, they knew I had trouble with both of them.

"Enough of that." Edward snapped when he walked in. I glared at him for speaking so mean to his brothers but he just pulled me upstairs to Carlisle's office.

"Already on it, Bella." I smiled as Carlisle's voice filled my ears. He already had gauze ready for me. As he was checking over my hand, looking for breaks, Edward decided to talk.

"Bella I don't think you should see your _dog_ again for a while." I stared at him in awe. He did not just say that to me.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" I snapped at him. Carlisle, bit his tongue.

"I think I'm talking to my fiancé who hangs out with _dogs_ who want to do vial things to her." I wanted to snap back with, well at least someone does. But that wasn't something I wanted to say in front of my future father.

"Edward, he's my best friend who just so happens to be in love with me." I argued. "If I were dating Jacob" I said emphasizing his name. "Wouldn't you be doing everything in your power to convince me that I was meant to be with you?" Before he could talk, Carlisle piped in.

"Well, it's only sprained, which is good for you since that means no sling." I smiled at him. He started to wrap my arm up. "Son, this is not my place to say anything. But you should know that preventing Bella from seeing her friend is cruel." He kissed my hand and left the room without another word. I got up and started to walk down stairs when Edward said something that ignited fire in my soul.

"Bella. Stop acting like a spoiled brat, I am your fiancé and am entitled to get mad at when you kiss another man. I swear if I had it my way, you'd be locked in your house 24/7 and one of us would always have an eye on you since obviously you can't be allowed to go with your friends." I turned to him at the bottom of the steps, mouth wide open. The other family members were dead silent.

"I can't believe you just said that in front of your entire family, Edward! What happened to class!" I shouted. I noticed out of the corner of my eyes, Jasper and Emmett stand slowly in a protective way. "I'm not a prize to be won!" Edward stood stoically on the top of the stairwell. "If you ever talk to me like that again, I swear I'll have Jasper and Emmett rip both of your arms off." I could see the fear pass through his façade. Sure, I was no threat to him. But a military new born vampire major and the strongest vampire they've yet to come in contact with, was.

I looked to Emmett and Jasper, making sure I hadn't crossed over any lines I shouldn't have and they both smirked and nodded at me as if saying; 'On your command.'

"Esme, I'm sorry for disrupting your house and that you had to hear all that. That goes for everyone." Esme nodded at me still in shock at what Edward had said.

"Bella." Edward gasped.

"Take me home." I said after a moment. Once I was home and in my room, Edward's and mine conversation continued.

"Edward, I love you. You know that. Why are you being so overprotective?" I asked in a loud whisper. He pinched the bridge of his nose and I decided, that I hated when he does that.

"Because I don't want you to be with some dangerous _dog._" He snarled and that's when I lost it.

"His name is Jacob. Jacob Black. It is not dog or mongrel or any other disgusting term you call him." Edward stared at me with wide eyes.

"I don't care what his name is, Bella." He sighed. "You are Bella. Bella Swan and the love of my existence that I don't want running to another man, dog, anything for that matter."

"You either trust me, or you don't." I snapped. Edward leaned against the wall.

"It's not you I don't trust." He murmured bitterly.

"No." He looked at me.

"No?" He asked with a scoff.

"No. You don't have to trust _them. _It's _me_ you have to trust. You either trust me to handle situations and come back to you, or you don't." I growled and I saw that his eyes widened as though he hadn't thought of it like that. He was speechless.

"Look Bella…" He trailed off and I raised my hand to silence him.

"You don't understand how angry I am right now, Edward. I thought the last person I'd have to worry about trusting me would be you." He went to talk and I stopped him again. "I want you to leave my room right now, Edward. I want you to really take some time and think it over if you really trust me or not. I am done being treated like a child. I'll see you the next day the sun isn't out for school."

After an antagonizing minute, he nodded and left. I know I told him to leave, but he could've said something or hugged me goodnight or something…

I shut my window and went about getting ready for bed. It was Monday. Alice saw that it would be sunny the next couple days and they wouldn't be back in school until Friday. That should be decent enough time. Just as I was closing my eyes my phone on my side table started buzzing. I groaned and reached out to flip it open and hold it to my ear.

"Yeah?" I asked bitterly. I heard a laugh on the other line and was happy it wasn't Edward.

"Hey Bellsy. Aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" I growled at him and he laughed harder into my ear.

"Shut up, Emmett. I'm a human and need sleep." My words were groggy.

"Well anyway, we're going hunting until Thursday and I didn't want you thinking we just left again." I smiled.

"Wow, Em. Thank you. That's really considerate of you." I said truthfully.

"Yeah well we didn't need you going all Junkie Bella again." I laughed in agreement.

"Is he mad?" I asked biting my lip.

"Eh. He seems more thoughtful than anything. Him and Rosie already left since they talk about meaningful things on their hunting trips." I felt a powerful pound of guilt and also envy. Rosalie was beautiful and I wouldn't lie and say that I didn't think about them together. But guilt because I made Emmett's mate leave without her.

"Sorry, Em. I didn't mean for you two to get sucked into this." I said as I looked at a photo frame of me and all the Cullen's. The odd ball that wasn't beautiful was not as lean, beautiful, or graceful, was me. Bella. I looked at Emmett's dimple filled smile as he spoke.

"No worries Bells." I loved when he called me Bells. Just like Jake. "So we're going to be around the Alaska area and maybe some areas in Canada so we won't be too far. I'm sure your team of Monkeys will stock up on extra men around you." I smiled at his name for the Pack.

"They're wolves, Emmett. Not monkeys." I giggled.

"Eh. Potato, tomato." I laughed at his deliberate mix up. "Alright when I'm going to get going. Alice says to wear item number four tomorrow?" I groaned and heard her shriek to do what she says.

"Okay, okay. Number four. Oh and Emmett?" I asked before he hung up.

"Yeah?"

"Be safe. Make sure everyone knows that." I said maternally. I hated when they went hunting because I always thought something would go wrong. I was getting used to the idea finally, that they were okay when they went.

"I always am Bells. Hey watch what you say, that was almost something kind to me!" I giggled again.

"Don't let it go to your head, Big Guy. I'll see you when you get back."

"Of course. And hey, stay out of trouble yourself. No bikes, or cars, or well walking for that matter."

"You are such a child. Bye Emmett." I rolled my eyes.

"You know you love it. Bye beautiful." And with that I hung up. It wasn't strange for Emmett or Jasper for that matter to call me beautiful and it always made me smile. To Edward nowadays, I was either Bella or Love.

I fell asleep with the content thought that everything was finally okay.

3 PeanutButter&Jelly PeanutButter&Jelly PeanutButter&Jelly PeanutButter&Jelly 3

**Friday**

This week had been incredibly boring without the Cullen's. I missed them all too much. I missed Edward in Biology, Alice in Math, Jasper in History, and Emmett in Gym. But I awoke delighted to see that it was stormy once again in good old Forks. I ate a poptart on the way to school and pulled in to the parking lot looking for the Silver Volvo, the Huge Jeep, or the Glamorous BMW…but saw none of them.

I didn't bother to hide my disappointment to Angela when she asked where they were and I didn't have an answer for her. Angela rubbed my back and I smiled at her kindness. Note to Self: See how Angela does in her Human Life.

The day dragged on for what seemed like forever before the final bell rung and I was sprinting out of the house.

On Wednesday, Charlie decided to loosen the reigns on my grounding and let me out as long as I was home before 8 and guests (apart from Jacob I'd assume) left at 9:30. I nearly sprinted to car, stumbling 4 times in the process and put my key in the ignition.

My heart fell when all I heard when I turned it, was a click. I tried several more times before I hit my head off the steering wheel and reached for my phone. I dialed Edward, Alice, Rosalie, Esme, Emmett, and Carlisle but received no answer. When I dialed Jasper's number I let out a gust of relief when he answered.

"Bella." He said in a strained voice.

"Jasper? What's wrong? Is everyone okay?" I asked quickly. I heard mumbling then a sigh and a door close.

"We are all okay, Bella." I let my hand cover my eyes.

"Well what's happened? No one but you picked up their phones." I wondered, what if this had been an emergency? I wouldn't have time to call 7 people.

"Where are you?" He said, ignoring my questions.

"At the school, my car won't start and it's pouring." I whined. Normally, when I'd whine I would get a chuckle.

Today, I did not.

"Stay there." I heard a lot of wind interference on the other line and after a moment, I decided that he was running.

"How long till you get here?" I asked looking at the stormy sky. "I mean, all of the students and half the teachers left already…" I started.

"Right here, beautiful." I snapped my head forward and saw Jasper in front of my car, snapping his phone shut with a faint grin on his lips. I was amazed at how fast they were. He popped the hood and started tinkering around when I got out to join him.

"What happened?" I asked over the rain, not needing to raise my voice since I know he'd hear me. As his long nimble fingers moved parts he sighed and lifted his head back up to look down at me.

"There was an accident." He sighed and he gestured for me to turn on the truck. I stared at him but slowly moved back to the driver's side and tried turning the engine, smiling when it roared to life. I looked back out front to Jasper to thank him when he closed to hood but he wasn't there.

"Scoot over Darlin'." I screamed like the pathetic human I was when Jasper was suddenly at my side, whispering in my ear. This earned a laugh from him and he carefully and without breathing pushed me to the other side of the seat.

"It's not funny." I grumbled like a child as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"It sort of is, dear." I rolled my eyes and immediately turned back to him, getting probably a little too close for his comfort.

"Jasper, should I open the window? Does being in here make you uncomfortable?" I asked when I noted he still wasn't breathing. He smiled and took a slow breath.

"It's okay, Darlin'. I'm getting better." I then remembered why he was picking me up in the first place.

"What accident?" I asked, terrified. He said that they were all okay, so was it someone I knew? He sighed and zoned out of the window before I reached out and gently touched his strong arm.

"Edward doesn't want me telling you this." He started and I scoffed.

"_Edward_ isn't my father. Tell me what happened?" I demanded causing him to smirk. He couldn't refuse an order.

"Emmett had a slip up and killed a human when we were in Canada." My heart froze. Oh no. Here I was, finally telling myself that these hunting trips were harmless. "He was hunting and she was just too close to the forest and before we realized what happened, it was already done." He sighed while giving me the PG-13 version of it all.

"Oh no." I moaned.

"Luckily, it was a orphan child who was suffering from cancer and was supposed to die within the following days." He continued. My heart broke. That sounded straight from a Soap Opera.

"Did you…give her a proper burial?" I whispered not caring how dumb it sounded. He nodded.

"Carlisle asked us to stay with him as he did it. It was sad." Being an Empath, death must be especially hard for Jasper.

"Is that why you guys weren't in school today?" I asked feeling guilty about being angry that they weren't here. He nodded.

"Emmett isn't handling this well. Yes he has slipped up twice before, but this one really affected him. He said he could feel the hurt and pain in her blood." I winced. "We were back on Wednesday and have been trying to console him this entire time." I was shocked, they've been back for that long already.

"What is he doing?" I asked hesitantly.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He isn't feeling anything but hurt and guilt and hasn't moved from his room since we got home. Rosalie can't even break him from this, and that made her angry." I felt anger bubble inside of me and Jasper tilted his head slightly in confusion—asking me to explain my feelings.

"I'd understand if she was disappointed that she didn't break him out of it, but being mad at him for his mistake? That's so cruel." Jasper nodded in agreement, clearly not pleased with his sister's actions as well.

"Edward doesn't want you to be by the house in his 'state of mind'." He explained using air quotes, momentarily driving the truck with his knees. Why couldn't they all just drive normal? Hmm?

"That's not how you should be treating him." Jasper looked at me. "Well not _you,_ but Edward and Rosalie. If Edward is scared about him hurting me, it could take much longer to recover. He has to be treated like a normal person who made a mistake." I could feel admiration radiate from Jasper and I smiled at him.

"You are wise beyond your years." He complimented as we pulled up to the Cullen mansion. As I exited the car, Edward was already on the porch steps.

"You said you were talking her home." He snarled at Jasper who raised his hands in surrender.

"She wanted to come." Edward rolled his eyes, as if my wants were silly. Alice came from the house and danced down the stairs, taking a moment to hug me then to kiss Jasper.

"Hello my wonderful." Alice said with a smile.

"Hello Darlin'." She bit her lip and kissed him once more.

Edward took this as a reminder that I was indeed his fiancé. He walked down to me and cupped my face in his hands, causing my heart to flutter but not in the old familiar way. Obviously, I was still mad about our argument and still upset about the whole leaving me thing. He placed a kiss on my lips and I leaned into him for more, wanting to be treated like a person and not a doll. But of course, he pulled away and gave me a warning look.

I sighed and shrugged then began to walk around him when wrapped his arms around my waist to stop me.

"Edward." I warned.

"Bella. He's still dangerous right now. His thoughts are going haywire and I don't want you anywhere near him." He said into my ear, trying to dazzle me.

"Edward, if you treat him like a monster for making a mistake he won't recover. It isn't fair to him." I tried. I felt him shake his head and his grip on my waist tightened.

"No Bella. I know you want to help him and maybe you could try if he wasn't in this state, but I won't let him kill you." I sighed and turned around in his arms, lifting my hands to cup his face.

"Edward please just let me try. Trust me that I'll be safe. You're a mind reader and Jasper can feel his emotions, if something goes on you can easily get me out of there." I pressed. Edward sighed and was about to say something that was sure to make me mad when Rosalie appeared at the top of the porch steps.

"Oh cut the crap Edward. If she thinks she can help my pathetic husband, let her try and hopefully he won't kill her." She snapped at me with venom dripping from her voice. I flinched at her harsh words and Edward sighed and let me go.

I took the opportunity to walk slowly up the steps and walk past Rosalie.

"Rosalie, I know you're upset about this but you should be consoling him. Not making him feel bad about this." She snarled at me and pointed her long manicured finger at my face.

"Don't tell me how to handle my husband, Bella." She sneered but I was unfazed by her. If I was going to try and talk to Emmett, I needed to be confident. "He needs to stop acting like a child and get over it." She said louder for him to hear. I rolled my eyes and walked into the house seeing Carlisle standing with his arms around Esme.

"Bella, my dear." Esme said with a kind smile.

"Hello Esme. Carlisle." I said with a nod. "How is he?" I asked looking up to the top of the stairs.

"Not well. He has messed up before, as all of us have, but this time he is taking it very hard. He was angry that he destroyed several trees and even cars in the area. Luckily, it was late and no one saw and only awoke to what appeared to be horrible vandalism." I nodded and sighed.

"Your eyes are still dark." I noted when I saw that they were a dull topaz swirled with onyx. Carlisle nodded.

"We didn't get much hunting in." He explained sadly.

"Well. I'm not going to be going in his room. I'm only going to stay in the hallway so if you all wanted to go do some quick hunting, it'd be fine."

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Carlisle said with a smile.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Edward screamed, suddenly at my side.

"Edward stop making a scene. Your eyes are black! Go hunt!" He started arguing with my future parents when Jasper's cool voice intruded.

"I hunted the most on our trip, I could stay here with Bella." I smiled at his offering and Edward growled.

"Oh, so we'll have two human blood thirsty vampires watching my human fiancé!" Alice, who I now noted was at my side, gasped at Edward's harsh words.

Jasper was in front of Edward's face, their noses practically touching and teeth bared.

"Watch your tone, Brother." Jasper sneered. "I am not a danger to Bella and neither is Emmett. Now go hunt and put some sense into you. Emmett has bested me once in our thousands of fights during a time when I was not paying attention. I assure to you that Bella is the first priority here and will be out of harms reach if necessary. But give your brother some decency." I felt loads of admiration to Jasper for standing up for me. Edward looked back and forth between Jasper and I and let out an angry.

"Come on, Edward." Rosalie hissed. "Let your human try and make things better when she clearly makes them worse." I looked down in shame from Rosalie's glare and I felt as though I didn't deserve to be in her presence. Edward went to turn when I called out for him.

"Bye Edward. Be safe." He paused and looked back at me, hoping for a kiss. He came over, kissed my forehead, then left without another word.

Once everyone but Jasper left, I felt very vulnerable.

"Don't mind Rosalie, beautiful." Jasper cooed. I felt soft waves of relaxation and smiled silent thanks.

"I'm going to try and talk to him. Thank you for standing up for me, Jasper." I explained. He nodded his head like a true gentleman.

"Of course, miss Bella." I giggled at his southern drawl and walked up the stairs to the room I knew to be Emmett's and didn't even bother reaching for the handle.

"Hi Emmett. It's me, Bella." There was not one noise or movement from inside the door. I sat down with my back against the door leaned my head against it.

"I heard what happened and I'll say sorry even though I have no clue what you're going through. I just want you to know that I don't think you're a monster. You could never be! I mean, your Emmett McCarty Cullen! No one brings him down." I joked but received nothing again. "I hope you didn't hear that fight between Edward and I, it was really embarrassing that he's done that in front of your family." I sighed and closed my eyes.

"My hand is starting to feel better, I'll have you know. I even made sure I took extra care when I walked this week, so I wouldn't fall and injure myself even more. I really am clumsy, aren't I?" It was weird. Although I had these thoughts all the time, it was different saying them aloud.

"You know, I always told myself I would never be in the type of relationship that I am with Edward. No, not the whole vampire part, but more so the whole controlling jealous type. You think after he left, _I _would have the clingy abandonment issues but it seems like he has them." I sighed again and let my head rest against the door.

I would help Emmett, I had to.

Jasper POV

I listened as Bella situated herself by Emmett's door. I was sitting on the top of stairwell, just a mere half of a second sprint to get to her if needed, waiting to feel Emmett's reactions. I tuned in to his emotions, feeling the terrible guilt and agony and waited.

It was funny, all though her words did not soothe him—being that I wasn't sure if he could hear them at all—the sound of her voice lessened the intensity of his emotions.

I heard no breathing or sound from my usually easy going brother and I just listened to Bella's words.

It was horrible, when I heard there was a slip-up, part of the beast inside of me told me that it was I who had attacked someone without realizing it. I hated that when I found out it was Emmett, I felt a mere moment of relief.

I wasn't a fuck up anymore.

I listened to what Bella said, smiling at her dorky comments and just listened and felt for something to change.

Normal POV

As her bell like voice filled the normally quiet Cullen household, the demon behind the door sat in blackness. On the stairwell sat her protector ready to save her if necessary.

_He had killed an innocent. He was a monster. _

Emmett Cullen sat on the floor on the far side of his useless bed. There, wrapped in a small ball like a child, he gazed out into the cloudy day which usually brought his smile. It did not today.

He was not aware of words or of time for what seemed like forever. He just gazed up at the window from his small position on the floor. When the sun would begin to set and the word outside became dark, Emmett hated that from the reflection, he saw two ruby red orbs that served as a constant reminder of what he had done.

He felt no happiness in his heart and only guilt filled his senses.

He was only barely aware when his blonde mistress came into the room, trying to 'snap him out of it' as she put it ever so kindly.

She had grabbed his face and forced him to look at her topaz eyes, that filled him with disgust of the fact that he mirrored red—not gold.

She got mad when he said nothing and slapped him across the face…hard. He deserved it though and just turned away from her, causing a faint annoying shrill to echo in his ears.

After what seemed like forever, a delicious smell teased his nose.

Another human.

Emmett held in the noises and just cradled his head between his hands—sobbing violently but silently. If he could cry, he would.

There were words that meant nothing and only echoes of 'killer' 'monster' attack' rang true in his mind.

He looked down at himself with disgust. He was wearing a white wife beater and his boxers since his blonde love had ripped the blood stained clothes of off him in anger.

Blood.

He smelled it again and froze looking out of the window once more trying to will the delicious scent to flee before his monstrous ways took over.

There was shouting. Lots of shouting before a bleak voice took over. Emmett refused to breathe. Hoping that, maybe if he didn't long enough, that he would die from this horrible existence.

The warm scent became closer and he wanted to scream and run, but couldn't find the strength. That girl's blood still filled him and he could feel her fear and pain still to this moment.

The scent stopped and he made no noise, knowing that if she opened the door to find him—the disgusting creature within him would snap. But it stopped.

He felt nothing. An abyss of nothing but guilt and pain.

How could he be so stupid? Always looking for the extra thrill, huh?

And then, came this odd hum. To his ears no words were formed but a single tone filled his senses. It would stop and then breath before starting again.

Already a monster, Emmett decided to be selfish and just continue to listen to the pretty tone until he could pray for death enough, that it would finally come.

Thanks for reading Chapter 1 of this everyone. (: Now I had wrote this a couple months ago but decided to wait until my other stories calmed down to write it. Being that I made a new account for all my Twilight stories, why not open with this one?

**Please review and come back to see the next chapter. I have 4 of them written already, so I'll post the second one probably tonight and wait until I get some reviews to post the others. **

**ALSO! IMPORTANT NOTICE HERE!**

**Do you remember how Bella had a feeling Jake was going to imprint soon? Well depending on how my mind goes with this story I have several ideas. **

**Should it:**

**A) Be someone Bella knows like Angela?**

**B) Be similar to what happened in Breaking Dawn ;) **

**C) Happen on a random chick?**

**When you review please just write A, B, or C at the beginning or end so I have an input on why. Explain why that choice to, if you can. Also, you can vote on the poll I will set up shortly on the profile. **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! They really do make my day.(:**

**~Pepper **


	2. Chapter 2 Save Me

**Ello my lovelies! Miss Pepper here! Let's get right onto it, shall we?**

* * *

><p><strong>Bella POV<strong>

I spent about two hours just talking to Emmett—all the while not entirely sure if he was even listening to anything I said.

"And I remember once in middle school this ratty kid—Bobby Smith—asked me to dance with him at one of the school dances. You can guess how well that went." I rolled my eyes. "I stepped on his foot like thirty times before he got mad and stormed away from me. I think he thought I did it on purpose, even though I was just _that_ bad at dancing." I laughed.

"Bella." I looked over to see Edward standing at the end of the hallway.

"Hi Edward. How was hunting?" I asked when I noticed his warm topaz eyes. He sighed.

"It was alright. Now why don't we get you home? Emmett's condition hasn't changed at all." I sighed and leaned my head back against the door.

"Well Emmett, I have to head home now. I think Charlie would freak if I got home even a minute late." I joked.

"Bella, stop. It isn't helping anything." Edward tried and I glared at him.

"But, I'm going to be back tomorrow. Charlie lets me have an extended curfew on the weekends now, did I tell you? I hope you come out of this soon Emmett. I really miss you." And then I pulled myself off the floor, groaning when blood rushed to the parts of my body that I was sitting on for too long. Edward immediately wrapped an arm around me and hustled me to the stairs, where Jasper was sitting.

"Hey, you know you could've joined in on our conversation." I said with a smile earning one back.

"It's fine, I was content about listening to your clumsy childhood." He teased which made me try and growl at him.

"Was there any change?" I asked curiously.

"Bella, I already told you—" I cut Edward off.

"Edward there might not have been a change in his thoughts, but maybe his emotions."

"There was when you first started talking. A subtle difference that if you weren't so in tuned with this power like I am, you probably would've missed it. And then right at the end. Your last sentence seemed to affect him though. There was a split second of longing, then back to being over powered with guilt." I nodded and couldn't help but feel a little accomplished that I did something useful.

Edward drove me home and we were silent for a couple of minutes.

"I'm sorry." He admitted causing me to look at him with wide eyes.

"What?" I questioned.

"I'm sorry about how I've been acting lately and how I reacted with this whole Emmett situation. I don't want to lose you and I've been doing a great job of messing things up." I smiled at his words.

"Thank you Edward. I really appreciate that. I love you." I said sliding over to kiss his cheek. He smiled that crooked grin.

"I love you too, love." Not wanting to ruin the moment, I decided that telling him about how calling me 'love' angered me could wait. When we got to my house he walked me to the door like a gentleman when I heard his phone buzz. He opened it, gazed at a text for a moment with a confused look, then put it away.

"Alright. So do you think you could come pick me up tomorrow? My baby is being stubborn lately and I wouldn't want to get stuck again." I said with a smile. His head tilted in confusion.

"Of course, love. And where might we be going?" I laughed because I thought he was joking. When I noticed confusion in his eyes, I stopped laughing.

"Edward, I'm going to your house tomorrow." I said slowly so he'd understand. His eyes lit in anger.

"What? I thought we just resolved this in the car!" I was so confused. We didn't have any other conversations in the car, did we?

"What are you talking about?" I gave in.

"Bella, love, there's no reason for you to come to the house again. Emmett is still in his horrid state of mind and still a threat. I apologized for my actions so there is no need to go back and try Emmett tomorrow." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I let his words sink in for a moment and leaned against the porch railing.

"Edward." I sighed with incredulous laugh. "I didn't try to get through to Emmett because I was mad at you."

"Then why else would be so hell bent on trying to soothe an unstable vampire?" Edward said louder this time.

"Because he is your brother and he is a person who is feeling pain. How could you not want to help him?" I couldn't believe Edward was acting this way.

"Bella, he is so unstable and Rosalie is already mad enough that you managed to squeeze something from him. Why keep poking the bear?"

"I don't give a damn what Rosalie thinks. She is his wife and she should be sympathizing with him and helping him get through this, instead of screaming and upsetting him!" I snapped causing his eyes to widen.

"Bella, please watch your language. You're becoming more like your mutt friends." At the disgusting term for my other family, I glared at him and he cowered.

"Whatever Edward. I'm going inside and my window won't be opened so don't even bother." I knew that he could just open the window if he wanted to, but to both of us it being closed symbolized something meaningful to the both of us.

"Bella, stop being like this." He begged.

"Look, you still haven't had time to think about if you trust me or not so don't think I forgot about that. Now you go insulting my friends I told specifically not to. Either you will be picking me up tomorrow, someone else will, or I will just drive my own baby and pray it doesn't break down. Goodnight Edward." I explained. I leaned forward, kissed his cheek, and then walked into my house without turning around.

Needless to say, I got little sleep that night.

**The next morning… Saturday 7:26 AM**

Although I hadn't told Edward what time to come (or send) someone to get me, I assumed he'd be here by 7:30 like always.

I continued to busy myself with nonsense things when I heard a noise from the driveway. I grabbed my jacket and house keys then locked the house before turning to _not_ see a silver Volvo.

"Hi Jasper." I said in confusion but a smile nonetheless.

"Why Good Mornin' miss Bella." He said as he stepped off of his motorcycle. I loved his southern accent and wondered for a brief moment why I only heard it when others weren't around.

"Edward let you come get me on this?" I joked. Edward hated my recent love for motorcycles claiming they were 'dangerous' and 'deadly' but I didn't care. I liked them.

Jasper threw his head back in laughter. "Not willingly. He said he wasn't going to come get you this mornin' and told us not to get you." I immediately felt rejected and Jasper was in front of me, hands on my shoulders. "Now, now. He just doesn't want you getting hurt." I rolled my eyes at the over used statement. "I told him that if you called, I was going to come get you no matter what he said." I smiled up at him. He really did treat me well.

"Oh, I bet he didn't like that." I giggled causing his eyes to light up.

"No, miss Bella. He didn't." I laughed again. "But I figured instead of keeping you waiting that I'd come get you, Jasper Style." Gesturing to his bike. I laughed and he handed me a helmet that I hadn't noticed in his hands.

I plopped it on my head and fastened it by the time Jasper was on the bike.

"No helmet for you, Jasper?" I asked as he revved the engine.

"As if concrete could hurt me." He teased sarcastically. I laughed and moved next to the bike.

"This won't make you uncomfortable, will it?" I asked as I debating sitting down.

"Alice told me I'd do fine, and I know I will." With relief I threw my leg over the side of the back and wrapped my arms around Jasper's muscular body. "Off we go!" He shouted before pulling out of the driveway with dangerous speed.

We raced down the road and I couldn't help but laugh at the adrenaline spiked feeling.

We both laughed as he maneuvered the windy Cullen driveway and skidded to stop in front of the garage. I jumped off and threw off my helmet.

"That was amazing!" I laughed. Jasper agreed and pulled the bike into the garage.

"Bella!" Alice shouted as she tackled me from behind. I laughed at her death grip and felt Jasper pry her off.

"Hi Alice." I said with a warm smile.

"Bella!" She cried again. "We are in desperate need of a shopping trip. Just you and me. And maybe well Jasper. His clothes have been getting rips lately since we don't sleep and—" I quickly put my hand over her mouth and blushed tomato red.

"I really don't need to know that, Alice." I whined. She laughed when I removed my hand and Jasper picked her up to twirl her around. I felt cold hands on my hips and a kiss on my shoulder blade.

"Why are you here?" He whispered softly.

"To help." I sighed and leaned against his chest. He wrapped his arms entirely around me. "You know I love you right?" I asked softly.

"Yes. As I love you." I walked into the house and said hello to them all before immediately going upstairs and sitting in my same position as yesterday.

"Hi Emmett. It's Bella again." I heard nothing and started humming.

"I think everything is starting to get okay again. Well sort of anyway. I'll have to talk to you more when you get out of there." I teased. "Jasper picked me up in his new motorcycle." I gushed. "I don't know if you've rode it yet but it was totally unbelievable. I know you all run so fast but to me, ahh it was so exhilarating!" After about an hour my stomach growled and Edward came up to bring me to the kitchen for some snacks.

"Any changes?" I asked Edward and Jasper. Edward shook his head as Jasper nodded his.

"It seems the voice just calms him down." Jasper clarified when Edward glared. I nodded my head and walked to the kitchen where Esme had all sorts of picking food causing me to laugh.

"Esme, you treat me much too well." I said as I dipped a chip. She laughed and her heart shaped face illuminated.

"It is wonderful to actually use the kitchen for once." She explained. Her cold hand overlapping mine threw me for surprise. "And thank you, Bella. For trying to get through to Emmett. It means the world to me that you're doing this for my son." I smiled at her.

"You know, you should all try just talking to him. I think the voices are familiar enough to him that the real Emmett inside of him hears them. It might work." I tried as I took another bite of something saucy and delicious.

And so everyone did. Well everyone apart from Edward and Rosalie. Rosalie made sure she said it loud enough that she wasn't going to talk to a wall for hours and Edward was still convinced that none of these efforts were helping.

Alice and I were watching the shopping channel when Carlisle took his turn before mine.

**Carlisle POV**

I walked upstairs and helped my Esme off the ground. She kissed me lightly on the lips before dancing away from me to give me some false privacy with my boy.

I sat against the door and rested my arms on my knees.

"Hello son." I started awkwardly. "It's your Dad, Carlisle." I began to just go with it, as Bella had done. "I know you're in there and I'm not sure about whether or not you can hear me, but I just want you to know that I am not angry with you." I leaned my head against the door and stared up at the ceiling. "We all make mistakes and I don't want you to feel ashamed because you did. It only makes you human." I smiled at the comment. "You know, when you were changed and after we gave you blood and explained everything to you, the first thing you said to us all was as a knowing vampire was 'Great! Does this mean I get to sleep in a coffin?' and you made us all laugh. You were scared, we all were, but you managed to turn something so dreadful into something so wonderful." I sighed an unnecessary breath.

"I miss you, my boy." I said after a long moment. "Bella's been here trying so hard to get you to come to and it's been hard to try and stay confident that everything will work out. I know it will. I know you will wake up from this state and be with us once more, but I don't know how to be strong when you are in so much pain." I knew everyone, apart from Bella, would be able to hear this but I knew they respected me enough to not bring it up. "It's funny how this human girl has had such an impact on this family, don't you think? I never expected her to be so meaningful in all of our lives even though Alice told us frequently that she would. She misses you Emmett—as all of us do." After a long moment of venting my feelings, I stood and walked down the stairs where my family was acting as though they heard nothing—to which I was thankful.

Jasper pulled me into the kitchen and smiled.

"His emotions are different. Still plenty of guilt but when he heard your voice he was actually aware and reacting to what you said." I smiled and let out a gust of relief. Edward came in.

"His thoughts are still haywire though. They give me a headache whenever I try to read them." I nodded and watched as Bella rose from the couch and went back upstairs to sit and talk.

**Bella POV**

"Emmett? It's Bella. Again." I said with a sad smile. "I hope that you see the whole family misses you. Hell, I miss you. I haven't really laughed in a couple of days now and it really sucks. I don't know how depressed people do this all the time." I joked light heartedly. "Can I tell you something, Em?" I asked. I lied down and pressed my face against the bottom crack of the door, seeing darkness in the room. "I'm terrified and I feel so weak."

It then occurred to me that all the vampires were in the house at this time and could hear my every word, but I wasn't stopping now. Everything that's been bothering me just exploded.

"I just feel so drained. I've been arguing with Edward a lot recently and then there's always the fact that Jacob is still in love with me and I can't be with him and then I think about Charlie and Renee and how it pains me to know that they're going to lose a daughter and I'm stressed with school and worried that my grades won't be good and no college with accept me and I'm nervous of the change and the Volturi and scared of Victoria and of dying and then there's Mike Newton always flirts with me and Rosalie still treats me like dirt and I'm mad at how she's treating you through this whole thing and I suck at James Bond no matter how many times I play it and I just feel empty and I'm still mad that you all left and I'm still mad that I took back this entire family even after you all hurt me so much and I just don't know what to do anymore and I need you to wake up, Emmett. I need to know that I've done something right and that I'm going to see your smile again and that I'll hear your laugh and that I'm going to be okay again." By this point, tears were flowing freely down my face and I was sobbing loudly.

I thought I heard the slightest bit of movement and all of a sudden I was being pulled up to my feet.

"What happened?" I asked through the tears. Edward was holding my arm and pulling me down the stairs.

"He's aware again." Edward snarled. I started crying even more and when we got to the bottom of the stairs he cupped my face in his hands. "Why didn't you tell me all of that Bella?" He asked offended. I just started crying again and tried to go up the stairs.

"Stop Edward! I need to see that he's okay. If he's aware that's a good thing!" I cried through the sobs. Edward just shook his head and held me against his chest. I saw Rosalie rush past me and the door slam shut.

Then I heard yelling and screaming although I couldn't make out what they were saying. Edward just tried to shush me and then there was a loud crash followed by more screaming. He pulled me out of the house and started walking to the garage when I saw that Emmett's bedroom window was broken. I started struggling against Edward, trying to get back into the house but he had one arm around my waist and was walking with determination.

"Emmett!" I shouted through my sobs. "Emmett please just let me see that you're okay." I begged to nothing.

Then all of a sudden, there he was.

My memory hadn't done him justice even though he looked like hell. He was huge, wearing a wifebeater and his boxers and his hair was a filthy mess. His eyes were deep crimson red and they were looking straight at me.

Edward was suddenly in front of me, blocking me from him and I started crying again.

"Edward, stop! He's not going to hurt me." I screamed. Edward just kept snarling and growling as if I wasn't even talking. A flash of blonde registered to me and Edward was gone from my view.

"If she wants to get killed, let her!" Rosalie shouted as she pinned Edward to the ground, despite his trying to escape.

I foolishly ran to Emmett and tripped on the way, landing hard on my knees in front of him. My hands were out in front of me on the hard pavement and tears were staining it. I could hear lots of shouting and roars but I just looked up at Emmett—tears ruining my face and silently begged for him to see me.

After a long moment Emmett shook off Jasper and Carlisle, who were trying to calm him down, and knelt down in front of me. Even kneeling he was towering over me and he just stared at me and I was mesmerized by his crimson eyes. Tears fell silently down my face and he just watched me.

"Emmett." I whispered hoarsely breaking his concentration. He just crumpled and threw his arms around me.

I winced, waiting for the bite but it never came. I opened my burning eyes to realize that he was just burying his face in the crook of my neck and sobbing. The quiet that I had just realized surrounded us, broke into a shrill of unbearable shouts but I didn't care. I just wrapped my arms around this broken man and held him to me, crying the tears he could never shed.

He just held me as the commotion around us exploded and his hands, which had unconsciously pulled up my shirt slightly, felt like icy fire against my skin. After what could have been an eternity, or more realistically about half an hour someone lightly touched our shoulders, causing Emmett to hold me beneath him to protect me. I looked and saw Carlisle crouching down to meet our eyes.

"Emmett. It's me, Carlisle." Emmett instantly relaxed but didn't release his tight hold on me. "Emmett. I need to know if you're okay."

Emmett didn't talk so someone else did.

"He's hurting Carlisle. Emotionally, mentally, and even physically. I can feel that he's longing for warmth and Bella is that source right now." I recognized Jasper's voice.

"Oh that's it!" I heard the shrill voice scream. Rosalie marched right up to Emmett and pulled at his shirt, bringing him to stand. I cautiously rose and Emmett wrapped a hand around my waist. "First, you don't react to me talking to you. Now you're _needing_ the human?" She shouted in his face. He didn't move and his face reminded me of a child who just discovered that Santa wasn't real. Void of emotion and destroyed.

"Bella? Come here please." I looked to see Edward reaching out to me. Emmett's grip tightened and I shook my head.

"No Edward. He needs warmth right now." I said through my scratchy voice. "He needs to be treated like a person, Rosalie!" I shouted as I looked at her. "Not as a child." She screamed and Edward pulled her away from us and into his arms. He whispered something in her ear and she just hissed at him.

"Why don't you two go hunt?" Esme suggested. I hadn't even noticed she was here. They both growled but Esme's look was enough to make them cower.

"This isn't over." Rosalie shot at me as she pulled Edward from us.

"Carlisle?" Alice piped in. She was standing next to Jasper and looked as though she was wakening up from a vision. "Emmett will be fine handling Bella. He just needs time to remember his humanity."

"The girl's blood is still within him and makes him feel inhuman." Jasper clarified. Carlisle looked at us and nodded. I shivered and Emmett immediately picked me up and ran upstairs with his vampire speed to his room. He put me down as his silent way of telling me I could leave if I wanted to. I shook my head and went to his bed to warm up. He lay next to me but not under the covers—still giving me a choice. I raised my hand up carefully and pressed it against his cheek. His head moved into my hand an animalistic whine escaped his lips.

He was in so much pain. I pulled the blanket over the both of us and pressed myself against his ice-cold body. His arms wrapped around me and I buried my face into his neck.

"Emmett?" I asked in a whisper. Emmett's body relaxed against me at the sound of my voice and I figured that if talking woke him out of this, talking would continue to help.

"Edward and Rosalie looked really upset, didn't they?" I said sadly. He growled at their names and I shushed him. "It's okay. They're not here right now so don't stress out." He relaxed slowly. I looked into his beautiful crimson eyes and a small shudder of fear tingled through my spine. His eyes softened and he looked down in shame when he noted my fear. "No, it's fine Emmett. I trust you. I'm not mad about what happened, neither is anyone else." I decided to leave out Edward and Rosalie who were indeed angry with him. "You made a mistake and it only makes you human." His eyes bored into mine and I smiled up at him. I got comfortable again and rested my head on his wide and muscular chest. I felt great relief when he hesitantly began to breath and his chest rose and fell unnecessarily. "It's okay Emmett. You're going to be okay. We're going to be okay." I said with a smile.

I was sick of being strong for everyone else. I was scared and tired and I felt my eyes drift shut as Emmett drew small circles on the small of my back.

I drifted into the best sleep I've had in a long, _long _time.

**Edward POV**

With a violent growl I lunged at a mountain lion and bit down on it's soft neck. I was being careless today and I didn't care. I let the blood gush from its neck and down my throat and swallowed the sweet liquid to cool the burning in my throat. When it was dry I stood up angrily and kicked the limp carcass away.

Although I was obviously full, the burning in my throat refused to go away. I was so angry!

I let out a loud howl and punched the closest tree near me.

Who the hell did Emmett think he was? Taking my Bella away from me and into his dangerous hands.

_Two hours earlier_

"_What happened?" She asked as I pulled her roughly to her feet. I could hear Emmett's thoughts now as he longed to comfort Bella. My Bella! _

"_He's aware again." I snapped at her. I could see he was standing now, trying to figure out where he was and get his head in order. At the bottom of the stairs I held Bella's delicate face in my hands. "Why didn't you tell me all of that Bella?" I was so hurt that she was in that much pain but couldn't talk to me about it. I am her fiancé! I deserve more respect than that._

"_Stop Edward! I need to see that he's okay. If he's aware that's a good thing!" How could she be so stupid? If he was aware he was going to try and attack her. Why can't she see that? Rosalie rushed past us and up to Emmett's room._

_She started yelling at him, well screaming actually, about how she was so hurt that he woke up to Bella and not her. There was a loud shatter as Emmett punched through the window and I decided that Bella was in too much danger. I started running her out of the house and to my car. She started struggling but she was a human and no where near my strength. _

"_Emmett!" She started begging. Immediately Emmett's mind focused to her voice. "Emmett please just let me see that you're okay." She screamed desperately. She cared so much for him and it filled me with powerful jealousy. Before I could get her out of here, he was standing on the porch. He looked like shit and an absolute monster. How could Bella want to see him?_

_He was staring at Bella and I could see in his mind that he wanted to get to her. I growled and stood in front of her to protect her._

"_Edward, stop! He's not going to hurt me." She screamed. I growled and ignored her. She was so naïve and I wasn't going to let her get killed. I was so focused with Emmett I didn't even noticed Rosalie coming at me and tackling me to the ground. I always forgot how strong she was._

"_If she wants to get killed, let her!" Rosalie pinned me to the ground and held my hands and legs glued down, despite my attempts to break free. _

"_Rosalie! Let me go and save her!" I told her. She hissed._

"_No."_

_I struggled against her and her mind was intent on keeping me here._

"_Emmett." She whispered and both Rosalie and I turned to see Emmett drop to his knees and throw his arms around her. I shouted in desperation, begging him to not kill her._

_A sickening silence filled the air as we all waited for Emmett to bite down into her. But he didn't, much to my surprise. They just held each other. Carlisle walked up to them and carefully put his hands on their shoulders. Emmett reacted quickly and threw Bella beneath him to 'protect her'. As if. That was my job._

"_Emmett. It's me, Carlisle." Emmett instantly relaxed but didn't release his tight hold on my love "Emmett. I need to know if you're okay."_

_Jasper stepped in.._

"_He's hurting Carlisle. Emotionally, mentally, and even physically. I can feel that he's longing for warmth and Bella is that source right now." _

"_Oh that's it!" Rosalie jumped off of me and stormed to Emmett. I stood up and walked towards them as well. "First, you don't react to me talking to you. Now you're needing the human?" She shouted in his face. His face and mind held no emotion for his wife. _

"_Bella? Come here please." I reached out to my Bella, begging her to leave that disgusting beast and come back into my safe arms._

"_No Edward. He needs warmth right now." Did she just say no to me? I can't believe her disrespect to me. She had been showing a lot of defiance to me lately, but this was the highest point of her immaturity. "He needs to be treated like a person, Rosalie!" I was surprised that she spoke to Rosalie in such a tone. "Not as a child." She screamed at my Bella and I pulled her away wrapping my arms around her waist and holding her slender body against mine._

"_Calm down, Rosalie. I'm just as mad at them as you." I whispered in her ear causing her to hiss at me. _

"_Why don't you two go hunt?" Esme suggested with finality in her voice. Both of us looked at her but her motherly 'Don't you dare talk back to me' eyes shut both of us up. Rosalie screamed and looked at Bella._

"_This isn't over." She snapped at her before pulling with her with amazing strength and speed into the forest._

_**Present Time**_

How could she do that to herself and me? Bella was being so reckless and inconsiderate!

"I swear if I could I'd rip off all of her limbs and scatter the pieces." Rosalie snapped bitterly walking up behind me. "Well don't you look wonderful." She mumbled sarcastically taking in my bloody shirt and ratted hair.

I said nothing and turned to face her and all her beauty. As much as she detested this life, immortality suited her so well. She was always so beautiful even after a hunt.

"Why didn't Emmett react to me?" She asked—somewhat sadly. I could see there was something else bothering her but she was doing a good job of hiding it.

"I have no clue. But I can't believe that Bella has attached herself to him like that!" I hissed. She laughed bitterly.

"That stupid human." I glared at her and she rolled her eyes. "Oh stop Edward. I'm so annoyed at this it isn't even funny anymore." I couldn't disagree. "First she takes you away and ruins our lives and then consoles my dumb husband as if she didn't already have it all." She said more to herself. I looked at her confused and for the first time in a long time, Rosalie looked down in a way that if she were human, she would be red with blush.

"Rosalie…?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and turned away from me to lean against a tree.

"Silly isn't it?" I still had no idea what she was talking about so I reached forward and brushed my hand against her warm arm. She wasn't warm like Bella, but she was warm in such a familiar way.

"This human girl comes and sweeps you off your feet and then manages to take attention of my only distraction for the past sixty years." She hadn't sounded this small in a long time.

"Rosalie. What are you talking about?" I asked quietly.

"Do you really not see it?" She said, whipping around to face me. And then I saw it in her mind. All the memories of us meeting and being with me flooded my mind. I could see the love and passion she felt for me.

"Rosalie…" I said again. I knew she had feelings for me, but I was always so against it. "Even now? When you have Emmett?" I asked, unconsciously moving closer to her.

"Emmett brought me sunshine into this life but our passion has been dead for a long time. I don't see him the same anymore, especially when you're around me." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Bella took your heart and I felt ashamed that I couldn't do it."

"Rosalie, you are so lovely." I said holding her to me. "But Bella…"

"Oh shut up. Bella is a fascination to you. The combination of her blood, her closed mind, and her ease of learning of our kind has turned her into some type of challenge for you!" She said and when I went to tell her that the thought was silly, I hesitated and she smiled sadly. "See?"

"But, I love her so very much." I said, more so trying to convince myself.

"It's possible to love someone, without being _in _love with someone. I'll always love Emmett. But I'm sick of his childish behavior and treating Bella like some sort of savior for all of us." I looked away from her.

I did love Bella…didn't I?

"Haven't you ever wanted to kiss her and not worry about breaking her?" She asked, stepping closer to me. "Haven't you ever got tired of pretending to be someone you're not, for someone that you don't even have all that in common with?" She pressed. I wanted to say no, but I knew that I frequently did. Bella had such different views about being in a relationship. I wanted to spoil her and for her to only see me but she wanted to have friends and be treated for so like an equal than a princess.

"I can't…" I whispered. She shushed me and pulled me closer to her.

"Please Edward. I'm sick of waiting and trying to be content with what I have." She begged and I saw her vulnerable side. I instantly weakened and pushed her against the tree. "Emmett...he treats me like a queen like I've always longed to be treated but then there are moments when you treat me so kindly and I melt! It just isn't fair!"

"Rosalie…" I sighed.

"Why can't you love me like her?" She begged and I cupped her gorgeous face in my hands.

"How could I have never seen you before?" I whispered.

Bella Swan had truly opened my eyes to something and I hated that I was doing this. But Bella was with _Emmett _right now because he _needed _her.

"Too busy, I guess." She said almost bitterly.

And then I did something that I never thought I would do since meeting Bella.

I kissed Rosalie Hale with everything I had.

At first, I was nervous. Kissing Bella had taught me to be careful but then I remembered that she was not breakable and I pushed her roughly against the tree as our mouths opened to each other. My eyes rolled in the back of my head at the taste and she moaned into my mouth.

My undead heart started to thump and although I felt guilty for doing this to Bella, I couldn't bring myself to pull away.

As we kissed with more passion I couldn't help but think and hope that Emmett hadn't killed Bella.

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><p><strong>Well! There's chapter 2! Woot Woot! How did you like it? <strong>

**Thoughts on Edward? Thoughts on Rosalie? Emmett and Bella? Everyone? Please let me know about how you liked this chapter! Review Review Review! I really do appreciate it! I need motivation to continue stories. I know it's kinda slow right now, but it will get better. I promise.**

And I will try...to Fix You

**~Pepper**


	3. Chapter 3 Speak

**Hello my wonderful people. Well, after posting the first two chapters, I'm pretty happy with the reviews so far. Granted it hasn't been up that long but every time I refresh my email I do have something new so thank you all! Well I'll have you know I'm going to be updating my new story within the next couple days. It's a kidnapping story ( I know, original) where the four main people are Bella, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice. My following story after that will be some type of Bella and Jasper story soooo yeah! Look for those!**

**So this would've been up the other day, but my computer took an ugly turn and I was on the phone with tech support for two and a half hours fixing mine and my brother's computer. COOL RIGHT?**

**Now, onto the story!**

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><p><strong>Emmett POV<strong>

Warmth.

I wasn't aware that anything could ever be this warm for me ever again. I felt like every fiber of my structure was burning and I welcomed the feeling with greedy arms. I didn't have time to understand what had happened just a short while ago when it was happening, but now for the first time in days I could think straight.

Everything had been a painful blur until I heard the familiar voice of the only father who's ever truly loved me. I thought back, for a brief second, about the scum that called himself my father so many years ago. He walked out on my mom, Serena, after years of abusing her. But good riddance to him, my mom and I were incredibly close and after she remarried I thought things would finally get better again. It was only a couple weeks after that I was attacked and _she_ came to my rescue.

Man, I remember when I went to check on her a year and a half after my change. I knew she had been miserable and depressed when I 'died' but it warmed my heart to see that her and her new husband had twins.

But, back to my father, I just felt myself rise above the ocean of guilt that was drowning me and I could hear everything he said.

He wasn't angry.

That was greatest thing he could have ever said. The last thing I needed was my father to be so ashamed of me that he couldn't bear to speak to me again.

He was talking about a girl named Bella. My head pounded as I tried to remember who this mysterious Bella was when I heard her come up to the door in my father's place.

Flashback

"_Emmett? It's Bella. Again." I was still on the floor like a pathetic child looking up when her voice echoed in my mind. Bella… She was that wonderful tone I had heard the past couple days. She was compassionate Bella, trying to help me.. "I hope that you see the whole family misses you. Hell, I miss you. I haven't really laughed in a couple of days now and it really sucks. I don't know how depressed people do this all the time." She was joking but I could hear something in her voice. I tried to push back the cloud of pain and guilt to listen to her "Can I tell you something, Em?" I wanted to nod but couldn't find the strength. A small breeze of her scent came in as she pressed her mouth on the bottom of the door as if to whisper to me. But the scent didn't force me to attack her, but it did beg me to be close to her. "I'm terrified and I feel so weak." _

_She was terrified? Instincts inside of me told me to comfort her.._

"_I just feel so drained. I've been arguing with Edward a lot recently and then there's always the fact that Jacob is still in love with me and I can't be with him and then I think about Charlie and Renee and how it pains me to know that they're going to lose a daughter and I'm stressed with school and worried that my grades won't be good and no college with accept me and I'm nervous of the change and the Volturi and scared of Victoria and of dying and then there's Mike Newton always flirts with me and Rosalie still treats me like dirt and I'm mad at how she's treating you through this whole thing and I suck at James Bond no matter how many times I play it and I just feel empty and I'm still mad that you all left and I'm still mad that I took back this entire family even after you all hurt me so much and I just don't know what to do anymore and I need you to wake up, Emmett. I need to know that I've done something right and that I'm going to see your smile again and that I'll hear your laugh and that I'm going to be okay again." I could smell her salty tears and I wanted so badly to hold her and make her feel strong._

_After a moment I decided that I wouldn't be weak anymore. Bella needed me. I let my arms for the first time in what could've been forever fall to my sides. _

_There was a lot of commotion then from outside my room but I just wanted to get to Bella. I stood up and shook off the stiffness that I felt when the door slammed open and shut._

"_What the hell, Emmett?" She screeched. I looked around her, trying to smell Bella. "You pay attention to me, Emmett!" She shouted slapping me across the face. Hard. I growled at her and I noted her flinch backwards. I was even more powerful at this moment. "How dare you decide to wake up on Bella's time? I am your wife Emmett you should be reacting to me and begging me for comfort, not some stupid human nuisance!"_

_How dare she talk about Bella that way? That beautiful tone of Bella's voice was talking to me for hours and Rosalie came here once and screamed at me!_

_Unable to control my anger any longer, I hit the closest thing to me that wasn't a lady. Which happened to be a window. _

"_Oh how like you, Emmett. It's always jokes and strength with you! What about my needs?" I growled again. I treated Rosalie like a queen and never once complained to her, and she thought I didn't tend to her needs? Selfish bitch. _

_I was about to give her a piece of my mind, and speak for the first time in God knows how long, when something chilled me to my bones/_

"_Emmett!" A desperate voice screamed. I pushed Rosalie onto the bed and opened the door so fast it nearly ripped off the hinges. "Emmett please just let me see that you're okay!" Faster than I've moved since James was attacking Bella, I was on the porch looking as _Edward_ walked away with one arm around Bella's waist and treating her like a prisoner. _

He_ was suddenly blocking my vision from the one that needed me. _

"_Edward, stop! He's not going to hurt me." She defended me. She trusted me even when my eyes told her plenty that she shouldn't._

_Rosalie knocked him to the ground and pinned him there but all I could focus on was Bella. She was more beautiful and human than I remembered. She started running towards me in her clumsy state and landed on her hands and knees in front of me. I looked down, wondering why the burn in my throat didn't cause me to drink her dry right then and there. She was crying again and I envied her. _

"_Emmett." She whispered brokenly. Even in her state, she was still trying to be strong and in my selfish ways, I let her be. I dropped to my knees and held her body to me—filling me with scorching heat that made me shudder. I buried my face in her neck and let it burn me. I was in perfect blissful hell. _

_Holding her this close to me, I remembered that human girl and I started to sob. There were noises but I could focus on was this heat and that horrible stuttering of her heart. I moved to hold her closer when her shirt lifted ever so slightly and I nearly groaned at the insane fire that smothered my hands._

_I felt someone touch me and instincts took over, putting my source of warmth beneath me to defend her to the death if needed._

_It was Carlisle. My Father Carlisle. There was talking that I didn't understand when a shrill nearly damaged my eardrums._

"_Oh that's it!" The blonde selfish bitch stood in front of me with no love or forgiveness. "First, you don't react to me talking to you. Now you're _needing_ the human?" I hated how she spoke to me, as if I was an abomination._

You are an abomination.

_I felt empty._

_Edward reached out for Bella and my grip, which I didn't realize was around her standing waist, tightened. I was begging silently for Bella to stay with me. They argued and I watched in awe as she yelled at my so-called 'wife'_

_The two people preventing me from Bella ran off into the forest and I couldn't help but feel relieved. I heard talking of my humanity when I felt my warmth shiver beside me. I ran her to my room but put her down. She didn't have to stay with me if she didn't want to. She lied down in my bed and under the covers to warm up. I sat atop them although I desired so much for her compassion and warmth. _

_Her hand grazed my cheek and I couldn't help the pathetic beg at the feeling. She pulled the blanket over both of us and pressed herself against me. _

_That's when the fire started._

"_Emmett?" I couldn't help but relax at the sound of that voice. It wasn't filled with anger or fear, but simple trust._

"_Edward and Rosalie looked really upset, didn't they?" Their names ignited a hateful red to cover my eyes and I couldn't handle this. Her voice shushed me and I relaxed. "It's okay. They're not here right now so don't stress out." She soothed me. They didn't ever need to come back for all I cared. She looked into my eyes and I saw her eyes show fear. In her beautiful brown eyes I saw my reflection of crimson and cowered. She did hate me. "No, it's fine Emmett. I trust you. I'm not mad about what happened, neither is anyone else." Could she be true? "You made a mistake and it only makes you human." I looked at her for something and was content when she faintly smile. She put her head on my chest and got comfortable. I hesitantly took and unneeded breath and relished in the deliciousness of her scent. "It's okay Emmett. You're going to be okay. We're going to be okay." I didn't smile, but I did let my head fall back in relief._

_End of Flashback_

I had calmed down greatly when Bella fell asleep. Her heartbeat was so steady and powerful that if I closed my eyes, it felt as though it pumped throughout me as well. I looked at her beautiful sleeping form. I smiled when I thought of her tripping. She was clumsy. I like clumsy I just decided.

After who knows how long—being that time has sort of mushed together recently—Bella stirred and I looked down at her waiting.

"Hey Emmett." She said with a yawn. My name from her lips made me relax and feel human once more.

I opened my mouth to speak, but was afraid that once I did, Bella would see no more reason to comfort me. So I rubbed her back softly.

"What time is it?" I could tell that she was trying to get words from me but the thought of speaking when I had taken that girl's life, made me ill. So I settled for tapping on her back 9 times. "Nine? Oh my god! Charlie is going to kill me!" The thought of someone killing her made me growl but she sat up quickly and I felt ice in my soul once more causing me to sob. "Oh no, Emmett. That was just a figure of speech, no one is going to kill me." I relaxed at her words.

There was a knock at the door, causing Bella to jump.

"Come in." Bella whispered and I cowered, ready for the onslaught of hate that was sure to come.

"Oh Emmett." My pixie walked into the room and I felt so weak. "It is great to see you calmed down." She smiled and I saw no anger. No disappointment. No hate.

"I need to get home." Bella said really sadly. I was sitting up at vampire speed and gently stroking her cheek with my fingers to calm her down.

"No need. I'm calling Charlie." She said as she plopped herself down on the bed. She held up the phone and was about to call Charlie when she looked at me. Suddenly, her arms were around my neck and she was squeezing with everything I had.

Slowly, I wrapped my arms around her.

"I've missed you so." Alice sobbed. I said nothing but squeezed her tighter. She pulled back and began to call.

"_Swan residence."_ Came a gruff voice.

"Hello, Charlie! It's Alice." She said with her bubbly smile.

"_Oh hello Alice! I trust that Bella is with you?" _He assumed with a hint of stress on his voice. He was obviously worried.

"Yes, that's what I am calling you about. We were enjoying a girly day when we fell asleep. We just woke up and she's running around the house trying to get her things together to leave." I could see Bella slouch in disappointment. She didn't want to go home. I held her against me and she smiled sadly at me.

"_Oh that's quite alright. You were having a girly night? Where is everyone else?" _He pried. Alice paused like any normal human would do.

"Well. Carlisle is at a night shift at the hospital for an emergency. Esme took Jasper, Emmett, Edward, and Rosalie to see her deathly ill niece. I have never met this women before so I decided to stay home. Needless to say, I am regretting it." Even I couldn't see where this was going.

"_Why is that?" _His fatherly instincts were kind.

"Well. One of the downfalls of having a huge house is that they get really scary at night when you're on your own. It didn't help that Bella and I watched a scary movie before we fell asleep." She laughed with notable fear in her voice.

She was good.

"_Oh Alice, that just isn't smart!" _He joked and Alice laughed.

"Yes I suppose it isn't. But would you mind if Bella stayed just an hour more? I would feel better than being alone the entire night." She sounded so sad.

There was a pause before Charlie spoke again. _"Alice. I hate the thought of you being by yourself in such a scary world! If you want, Bella can stay the night with you. I want you to be safe." _

"Oh Charlie! I would so grateful! Are you sure?" She exclaimed loudly.

"_Of course Alice. If anything goes wrong or doesn't feel right, you give me a call and I'll be over in a heartbeat." _

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She bounced. Charlie laughed and they said their goodbyes. Once she hung up she turned to Bella and winked.

"Damn I'm good." She teased causing Bella to laugh.

Ahhh, what a wonderful sound. "Thank you Alice. I owe you so much." She giggled. Alice looked at me and touched my cheek.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've missed your face. I even miss your stupid sexual jokes." And then my mouth twisted into something that felt wonderful.

A smile.

Both Alice and Bella bounced in excitement to see me and I couldn't help but wonder why. I was a monster.

Alice jumped up and left without another word, no doubt to go share her happiness with Jasper.

In that moment I felt the strongest urge to shout out some perverted.

But a rumble, coming from the inside of Bella, immediately distracted my attention.

She was blushing and holding her stomach.

Beautiful.

"I think I'm going to get some food." I smiled at her and she beamed. Smiling made her smile. Must do it more often. "Do…you want to come down with me?" She asked as she stood, holding her hand out to me. I stared at it and decided against it. I shook my head and she pouted. "Alright. Well I'm sending the family in here to talk to you." She stuck out her tongue and I rolled my eyes playfully at her. A couple minutes went by before Esme came in, putting her arms around my neck.

"Oh my son." She sobbed. I felt terrible for putting her in so much stress. "How I've missed you." She cupped my face in her small hands and assessed my face. "My beautiful Emmett." I smiled at her words, feeling the desire to tell her that real men aren't called beautiful but still couldn't find the words. "I owe Bella so much for this." She said more to herself. I smiled and just listened to my mother as she talked.

**Bella POV**

I brought the hot grilled cheese to my face as Esme hurried upstairs and took a bite. Ahhh it was so delicious. I was really going to miss human food.

"Alice?" I asked to no one, knowing she could hear me no matter where she was in the house. In an instant she was in front of me and watching me eat. "Can I help you with more things on the wedding?" At the word her eyes lit up and I decided this was my debt to her getting me to stay. She disappeared and was back with a whole binder of things. It wasn't as torturous as it had been but something just felt off.

After a good twenty minutes and a full stomach Alice straightened out. Her eyes glazed over and I reached for her face.

"Jasper?" I shouted. Instantly he was there his arms around her and whispering in her ear.

"She's alright, just having a vision." He said when I was still nervous. After a moment she was back and writing something down for Jasper to see.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Edward is home." She said, ignoring me completely. I smiled and ran to the front door where him and Rosalie were walking slowly at the house.

I felt severe envy when I saw how perfect and beautiful Rosalie looked standing next to Edward. I grimaced when I saw the blood stains on Edward's shirt but trotted to him nonetheless. I hugged him and looked up at him. He was smiling down at me but something didn't seem right.

"Bella. What are you still doing here?" Edward asked as gazed into my eyes.

"Alice convinced Charlie to let me stay the night." I said with a smile. "We were just going over some more things for the wedding!" I tried to sound excited this way he wouldn't be mad about earlier.

"Since when do you take part in the wedding planning?" He all but spat at me causing me to flinch back.

"It's my wedding and I wanted to help plan it." I mumbled pathetically. "And Rosalie?" I asked, barely meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry for how I shouted at you today. It wasn't my place to get you to change about how you deal with situations." She looked at me with her softer than normal eyes and rolled them.

"Miss Bella?" I turned around to find Jasper standing there. "I'm going to your house to pick up some of your books and such. Anything else you need?" I blushed.

"Um, I'll come with you. There are some things you don't ever need to touch." I blushed harder and he laughed before walking to the garage.

"I'm going inside." Rosalie said bitterly but still softer than normal.

"I'll be back in a couple minutes Edward. Change out of that shirt please?" I teased causing him to smirk and smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You know I love you right?" I questioned. He stared at me, searching desperately for something.

"Yes, I know, love." He kissed my forehead and pushed me towards the garage. That wasn't like him to let me go so willingly with Jasper. I didn't press the issue and hopped on my favorite motorcycle ever and let the wind chill my skin.

"Jasper?" I asked as we turned into town. He parked a view blocks away from my house and shut off the bike.

"Yes?" He asked as he scooped me in his arms.

"What was Alice's vision about?" His eyes looked pained.

"Rosalie is going to leave Emmett once he's somewhat back to normal." My body shuddered and I felt tears swell in my eyes. "No no, dear. It is not because of you." I realized suddenly we were in my room, Charlie snoring down the hall. He put me down and I looked down in shame. "They've been drifting apart for years now. We've been waiting for this to happen for a while now." That did make me feel somewhat better but I was worried on how Emmett would handle it in his fragile state. I quickly put together a bag of toiletries and put my books in them to study tomorrow.

"Emmett's going to take it rough, isn't he?" I asked as I slung the small bag around my back. Jasper looked thoughtful at me for a moment.

"His reaction keeps changing depending on how Rosalie tells him. There's something going on that not even Alice can see with her. She knows better than anyone how to avoid Alice's visions so whatever she is hiding, she is doing a very good job of it." Jasper said pensive. He scooped me back up into his arms and in an instant we were back by the car.

"I'm scared for him." I admitted sadly, as I strapped the helmet on my head and climbed onto his bike. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek against his stone back.

"I am too. He is still unstable and his emotions are so heightened at this state. I know this kill really upset him. And by the way, Miss Bella, thank you so much for helping him for our family." He was driving slower than normal so I could hear him.

"Your welcome, Jasper." I said smiling against his back. "I'm glad I can do something right." He sighed in agreement and we were in content silence the rest of the way.

When we got the Cullen mansion I walked in to find Alice in her normal bubbly state.

"Hey Alice?" I asked after a moment. She smiled at me as I walked into the kitchen. "I don't know if I've said this lately, but you really are my best friend and sister." Her eyes swelled and she took me in a strong hug.

"Thank you Bella. I love you so much." I smiled at her words as she held my face in her hands. Jasper came in then and smiled at the embrace.

"Hello ladies." He said with a warm smile. I giggled and left them to find Edward who was watching TV in the living room. Funny, Edward usually hated television.

I tried to talk to him, but I was getting short bitter responses. I sighed and gave up once Rosalie rolled her eyes when I said I love you to him. I gave up and marched upstairs to Emmett's room where I found Esme on the bed talking to him. He was sitting with his knees up and his arms resting atop them in such a human position.

"Oh, Bella!" Esme exclaimed, jumping up to hug me. "I could never repay you." She said holding my face in her hands making me smile.

"I'm glad I could help." I admitted honestly. She turned to her son and kissed him on the cheek, which he pretending to wipe off like any normal teenage boy would do when his mom kissed him causing us to laugh. When she left I closed the door, giving us a sense of false security.

"Sorry I just kinda left earlier. I needed to go home with Jasper to pick up some things." I said with a smile. He turned to me and let his large legs hit the floor. He opened his arms and after being ignored by Edward, I was more than willing to feel wanted. He held me bridal style and I rested my head against his large arm. "Edward and Rosalie still seem mad about earlier." I sighed sadly. His body tensed and I started to play with his large hands. "For instance, when I told him I was helping to plan our wedding with Alice, he practically snapped at me!" Emmett growled and for a moment, I wondered what he was thinking. I continued to talk for the next hour until Alice came dancing through the door.

"There are some rouge vampires in the area so we're going to go meet up with them to explain some rules and such." There was no hiding the shudder that came and rippled through my body. Emmett's grip around me tightened. The last three rogue vampires didn't turn out that well for me and this family. "Oh no, these are nothing like the others. They will be interesting though so we won't be back till possibly late tomorrow." She explained with a reassuring smile. I nodded and I squeezed Emmett's hand so he would relax.

"Is everyone going?" I asked curiously. She nodded.

"Yup." Her lips popped on the 'p'. "I called Edward so him and Rosalie are going to meet us there." I frowned.

"They left?" I asked sadly. She sighed and nodded. "When?"

"Fifty-seven minutes ago." I groaned and brought Emmett's hand to my forehead to cool me off. "Well, we're heading out now. Emmett, you don't mind watching Bella, do you?" She asked then stopped. "Who am I kidding? I already saw that you'd be fine." She kissed our cheeks and disappeared from the house. A couple minutes later, I knew they were all gone and I let out a sigh in relief.

"I can't believe Edward's acting this way." I grumbled. I sat up and adjusted myself to sit in his lap. He kissed the back of my shoulder as though to calm me down, which it did. Almost instantly.

"I mean, I'm never good enough for him no matter what I do!" I hissed angrily. I jumped up and started pacing around his floor. "I'm either too loud, or I cuss, or I'm too accepting of vampires, or I think too lowly of myself, or I read the same book over and over again, or I'm not thrilled about getting married, or I want to see my best friend, or I want to try to help you, or that I don't think I'm pretty, or that I like to listen to music loudly, or that I'm too damn clumsy!" I ranted. I could see Emmett was watching me from the corner of my eye and his head was moving to watch me go back in forth.

"I know I'm clumsy and gives him a reason to be all hero like for me, but he always makes me feel like crap about it. I'm never careful enough, as he likes to say. Even when you used to tease me about, you never made me feel guilty about it!" I roared. "I'm clumsy! Not handicapped!"

As I twisted my feet in the carpet to turn around I—in true Bella fashion—got caught on the rug and started to fly forward. I braced myself for the fall but felt two incredibly strong arms wrap around me. He sat down on the floor and placed me on his lap and it was deathly quiet for seconds before I just started laughing hysterically.

I felt his booming laugh fill in with my and I lowered my voice just to hear his. It was the first time in what felt like forever that I could hear his wonderful voice. After a couple minutes he looked to me and smiled that large dimple filled smile. I giggled when I saw it.

"It was nice to hear you again, Emmett." I said honestly. He smiled again and brushed the back of his hand against my cheek. "You need to hunt." I said noticing darkness under his eyes. The color was still vibrant red, but it appeared otherwise as though he was nearing time to hunt. I guess human blood did different things to them than animal blood. He tensed and looked away from me. Being that I was sitting on his lap, I wrapped my arms around his neck and with his effort, turned it to me. "You can handle hunting, Emmett. I have so much faith in you." I whispered even though he could hear me no matter how I said it. His eyes were locked with mine and I longed so desperately for the sadness to leave them.

His hand started making trails on my arms and I couldn't help but giggle at the ticklish feeling.

I could feel him looking at me so when I met his eyes, I couldn't bring myself to even breathe as his hands continued to trail on my arms.

"Soft." He said so quietly that I had to strain my ears to hear him. I couldn't stop the huge smile that nearly hurt my cheeks when I heard his voice. I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his neck. He smelled like the most expensive cologne and like trees.

"Emmett. I've missed you so much." I sobbed into him. His arms encased me in the tightest embrace I could handle.

"Me too." I smiled against his neck at his voice.

**Edward POV**

"I can't delay this anymore, the second he's back to talking and goes through a safe hunt, I'm leaving him." Rosalie said after a long quiet drive. I could hear she was thinking of this while trying to block me out ever since our kiss in the forest, and I knew that since it took her this long to decide, Alice would've seen it.

"You really don't love him anymore?" I said as one hand was on the wheel, and another over my mouth in a fist.

"I'll always love him. But I'm sick of trying to pretend he is my mate. I know he isn't. The pull I had felt with him wasn't mate-like, like I tricked myself into thinking. It's just this instinct to protect him since I was the one that brought him into this life." Her explanation made perfect sense. I switched hands and used my now free one to reach out and grab her delicate one. Such a shock ran through me that I almost slammed on the brakes. I had ignored this shock so many times, but yet here it was. "You feel it too." She stated with a smile playing on her gorgeous lips.

Stunning.

"And Bella?" She asked after a moment causing me to sigh. "I could see it when she was next to you. You don't feel it anymore." I knew she was right. Hearing her talk about the wedding, the thing I had tried so hard to get her excited for, made me almost angry and jittery.

"I will always love Bella." I said like she had before. "But this," I gestured to our hands pressed together and fingers filling each other's spaces perfectly. "is right. This is wonderful and what I've always longed for. You were right, Bella is and was a fascination and I mistook that for infatuation. I may have liked her, but I always knew it wasn't meant to be like that. I knew that I didn't want her to become a vampire, and now I realize that my subconscious was telling me that it would hurt to see her alone in this world and we discovered each other." It was all so clear as I said it.

"You don't understand how long I've waited for you." She said softly, looking at our hands. "You didn't judge me when Royce and his friends had defiled me. You still saw me as Rosalie." I smiled at her and was awestruck at her beauty.

_How had I missed that?_

"And now, Bella won't become like us. I won't have to worry about her anymore and she can live a long and happy life with her _dog."_ Rosalie giggled at my name for that disgusting mongrel. Bella would've gotten angry. I could hear her mind begging for me to stop the car and I immediately did and pulled into a deep hidden brush. "What?" I asked quickly. "Don't tell me you want Bella to become one of us?" I asked suddenly. I don't know why I did, because I knew she didn't. She crawled over the seats and straddled my lap. Her face just inches from mine she reached and suddenly the seat reclined back.

"Bella who?" She whispered hoarsely. I knew she could feel what she was doing to me, after all I had not been with anyone since Tanya a few years back. (**Yeah I don't care if he's supposed to be a virgin. Bull shit. (; ) **Her lips pressed to mine and I groaned at the taste. Her hips rocked forward suddenly and I moaned into her mouth causing her to giggle.

Just as things were about to get heated, my phone buzzed and I whined in protest when she pulled up to sit on top of me.

"Yes?" My Rose answered with limited breath. I smirked and started running my hands up and down her incredibly smooth and soft skin

"_Rose? Okay then. There are rouges in the area and we're meeting up with them at the field." _I recognized my sister's voice.

Yeah, we'll be there in a minute. We drove really far out of town, so we're turning now." She said quickly and annoyed that our moment had been interrupted

"_Alright. Bye." _Alice said abruptly before hanging up. Rose sighed and tossed the phone on the passengers seat. I was still teasing her legs so she pinned them beside my head suddenly that I couldn't see it.

"Gross. I guess that means Bella is all alone with fucking Emmett." She snarled. It was difficult in the tight space but I managed to flip her so she was under me and I was pinning her wrists besides her head. Her blonde hair fell in front of her eyes and never had she been more beautiful. I leaned my lips just a hair away and smirked.

"Emmett who?" I growled before crashing my lips to hers.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello hello Hello. There's chapter 3, again sorry it took so long to get up. Stupid technology. I really hate it sometimes. GAHHHHH. Well, my little hot flakes, REVIEW! AHHHHHH! Hahah, caps lock makes everything sound angry, doesn't it?<strong>

**Anyway, shout out now to this wonderful author. Her name is Claire is history and it was brought to our attention that our stories are SCARY similar. I'm not even kidding, it's like we were mind linked or something. Anywho, her story is about Jasper and Bella and it's the same mess up as this. But, I want to avoid confrontation in saying that I never saw her story before until she PM'd me about it. Hers was up way before mine and I already had someone else asking me if I stole the idea. I solemnly swear (teehee, Harry Potter Reference) that I never saw it before. But sad time over, Check It Out! It will keep you reading on the edge of your…well wherever you are when you read FanFictions!**

**Anyway! Review please! Love you all**

**~Pepper**


	4. Chapter 4 Little Touches

**Lovelies! The reviews on last chapter…were just…wonderful. Thank you all sooo much. :D**

**So the vote for Angela is like winning like crazy, and I'm selfish so I'm going to find a way for her to live forever. Cause I don't want her to die. It will take some thinking, but it will go dowwnn**

**Alright, I'm not gonna talk much more and write while I still have motivation tonight! **

**This is a much, steamier chapter. ** Winkey Face ****

**Emmett POV**

When I spoke, the most amazing smile illuminated her face. I made sure it was permanently in my mind for the rest of time. She had just tripped and I caught her, when she ranting about _not _being handicapped. We laughed and man…did it feel good to laugh.

She was so happy when I laughed. She was so happy when I smiled. She was happy when I was _myself. _Not trying to be all quiet and perfect like I did for Rosalie, but when I was being myself.

Rosalie.

I hadn't called her Rosalie in a long time. She's always been my Rosie or my Rose. But I could feel that bond we had shattered. It's been coming for years now, 'I love you' s stopped and romantic feelings just sort of dissipated. It just kinda became a sex relationship where I would act like her husband.

I knew it was probably about Edward. Carlisle told me once that when Rosalie was changed, the original hope was that her and Edward would be together. I also knew that those feelings for Edward never really went away and I had this twisted feeling in my stomach that he was the cause of this final snap, which would definitely break Bella. Even if I could see that her feelings for Edward were changing.

Quickly.

"Say something else!" She said with a giggle as she held my face close to hers. Her blood was so sweet and inviting but I couldn't bring myself to even process what it would take to kill her. There just, wasn't any urge to kill her, but absorb the scent forever.

"Bella." I said in a more normal tone. She giggled and ran her fire fingers through my hair, which was sure to feel disgusting. She didn't seem to mind though. Although I hated to move from this perfect position, I lifted her bridal style and sat her on my bed.

"Where ya going Emmett?" She asked curiously as she swung her feet that were dangling off my bed.

"Shower." I said pointing to myself. She laughed and I knew why. I was a mess. I was in clean close sure, but even Vampires get funky after a couple days without a shower. My hair was disgusting, I knew it.

"Okay then. I'm going to go downstairs and maybe attempt some homework while you're in there." Her voice was so calm and beautiful. I nodded and grabbed a towel and the first two articles of clothing I saw that were mine. As I stripped and started the water, I looked at myself in the reflection.

My eyes were still red but for the first time, I didn't look at it as a sign of shame. It was something I was going to conquer, just like I did everything else. I grimaced when I noticed I was nearly covered in dirt still and shook my head at the thought of Bella touching my nasty skin. I jumped in the shower and listened to that soft but powerful heartbeat below me.

**Bella POV**

I set up my math book on the counter and did a few problems before my head started to hurt.

Math was fucking annoying.

God.

After a good twenty minutes, I realized Emmett hadn't come down yet. I mean, he was dirty, but he hated doing things at human speed. I left my cluttered mess of papers and pencil on top of my book and went upstairs.

I didn't hear the shower running, but Emmett wasn't in his room. I assumed and began to walk out of the room when I heard his shower door open. I turned on the light and felt my knees go wobbly instantly.

Now, I wasn't the usual type of girl to swoon over men. Yes I realized many were very attractive but no one—not even Edward—had this effect on me. Ever. I remember once, Jessica and Angela pulled me into Abercrombie & Fitch against my will. It was never my type of store, being as I didn't like to buy labels like that. Angela was just trying to shut Jessica up after the thirtieth time of begging us to go in.

The walls of that store were laced with half naked men, abs perfectly displayed and some times hair a little wet and disheveled. I never thought that anyone could look that perfect and actually look that way in person, until Emmett walked out of his bathroom.

He was wearing tight jeans that hung dangerously low on his hips and where I could see a little strip of his boxers hiding beneath them. He was completely shirtless with the most gorgeous perfect abs I had ever seen. A happy trail led straight into the deep V of his pants and I got weaker again. His smile, which revealed those panty-dropping dimples, showed his perfect white smile. His eyes, were still red but brighter in someway that didn't involve human blood. It was more like they were bright with resolve. And his dark brown hair was still wet and even though obviously not yet combed, fell perfectly on his face.

I knew I was staring but at that moment, I really didn't care. I watched as he turned to give me a view of his muscular back and his arms—Oh my god his arms—lifted to flex to me. **(Sorry ladies. I'm an arm man.) **

"Like what you see, Bells?" That was the most he talked all day and of course, he called me my favorite nickname and in this drop dead voice.

I knew then, that I would never be attracted to Edward the same way again. Not after seeing this Godly creature.

_Oh my god, WHAT are you saying? _

That snapped me out of it and I quickly shook my head to clear it of dirty thoughts.

"Jeeze, Emmett. No need to go all sex model on me." I tried to joke, which didn't sound convincing. He laughed and I tried to force that sound into memory forever.

"Yeah, I know I look good." He said turning with a wink. I blushed furiously and stepped out of the room to breath.

"Okay! Um, I'm going to take a shower now too! I feel all gross." I said as I ran to the hallway bathroom. Once locked in the safety of the room, I quickly turned on the water and took off all my clothes.

The shower felt amazing. It was almost scalding hot and I shampooed my hair twice before deciding it was clean. I stepped out and wrapped myself in the only towel, which was way too short for my liking.

I knew it was dumb of me to come take a shower without my clothes but I was in such a rush to get out from his gorgeous smile. I peaked out of the room and saw his light was off so I jogged over to it and closed over the door before looking for my clothes.

It was too good to be true to be in the clear from this, so it wasn't a surprise when I heard a subtle gasp being me.

I jumped in fear and whipped around, holding the towel tight against my chest. I felt so exposed when I saw him standing there in a black shirt. I hesitantly looked at his eyes and saw that they were raking over my body as I had to him. I felt my entire body become red and he growled quietly.

He just stared at me, in my towel, dripping wet, for what seemed like forever before sprinting out of the room.

I ran to the door and locked it while leaning against it. My heartbeat was a thousand beats per second and I had to force myself to calm down before I could even move to get changed.

What was I doing? I was marrying Edward in a couple months. Rosalie and Emmett have been married for years.

_But you know damn well she's leaving him soon._

I agreed with my evil self for once. But what about Edward, I was still his fiancé.

_Yeah, and he ignores your needs and completely ignored you today entirely._

True, True,

God, what was happening to me?

I got changed into skinny jeans and a green v neck sweater before quickly combing through my hair and letting it curl naturally.

Taking a deep breath, because Emmett was no different person, I opened the door and walked down stairs where it was dead quiet.

Had Emmett left?

I felt my heart pound once painfully at the thought.

No way would he leave. I walked into the kitchen and found my homework organized and completed in what easily could've been my handwriting.

"Boo." I screamed and threw the papers in the air in terror. I turned around to yell at him but saw no one.

"Emmett! That isn't funny!" I stomped my feet like a child and picked up my papers. I put them back in the book when I felt big arms wrap around me from behind—causing me to scream. Once more. His booming laughter echoed in the house and he was acting like nothing had happened before.

Maybe that's for the best.

"You're a jerk." I mumbled. He laughed once more and kissed right by my ear, causing my heartbeat to stutter.

"Yeah, yeah. I know Bells." He was instantly forgiven when he said, Bells. I always loved that name. His sentences were still short, but I'd take them over the silence any day.

"Thank you for doing this." I said sincerely as I sat on the stool by the counter.

"Of course." He said with a nod. "I figured you'd be too flustered after your moment up there." He teased and I groaned and spun the stool away from him blushing. He wasn't going to let it go.

"It's not fair! You…you…dazzled me!" I quickly accused. He just laughed but said nothing.

So that's how the next couple hours went. We built a sort of house of leaves. Sometimes, something I said would ignite a whole sentence from him and the house would get better. But other times, he looked as though he _couldn't _say anything back physically and the house of leaves would go blowing down. We'd slowly build back up, only to have it knocked down again. It was difficult, but I wouldn't change it for anything.

So we sat on the couch and just talked. Well, I did most of the talking when our little leaf house would collapse but he'd join in shortly after. There were lots of confusing things though.

Little touches that could've meant more, but I guess I knew didn't mean anything. He'd tuck my hair behind my ear and linger there, or brush against me while laughing, or have his scent hit me when he spoke causing me to move closer to him, little touches on my hands, thighs, and neck.

They were killing me!

I knew I shouldn't be enjoying them. Again, I've got Edward and I'd never want to ruin what we have.

_Yes you would. He already has._

Shut up you.

But I did enjoy them and half way through our little talks I started fighting back. Two can play at this game mister Cullen.

It started simple like I would laugh and my hand would lift to lean on his arm for support or my foot would nudge his leg when I would cross mine. Then it became war. When I was already closer to him, I'd flip my hair subtly but enough for him to get the scent then I placed my hand on his thigh while laughing and 'accidentally' moved it up slightly when I sat up straight.

I was never like this in my entire life. I never felt like flirting with Edward, I just kinda talked to him. With Emmett though, it wasn't work to get his attention and have him focus on me, it just sort of happened that way.

It was about three in the morning when I started getting tired again. We were on the couch, watching a stupid show, when my eyes started to droop. As if he was in tuned with my thoughts, an arm went around me and he pulled me against him. I snuggled instantly and let my hand on his chest as I drifted away in to sleep.

I dreamt of Emmett.

**Emmett POV**

If I had known Bella was this fun, I would've done so a lot sooner. I always knew she was funny and kind, but she was also honest and I wasn't going to lie and say she wasn't beautiful. She was stunning. So real.

We spent so long talking that I was sure I never wanted this moment to end. There would be sometimes though when she would make a comment and I'd think of that girl I killed. It started earlier when she said I dazzled her. I knew she meant it in a good flirty way, but dazzling was one of a vampires strongest method of getting their prey.

I never wanted to think of Bella as edible prey. She was more like, a game to me and I couldn't get enough.

I wanted to tell her about how I knew that Rosalie was done with me and probably going after Edward this way she would talk to me with no reserve, but I couldn't do that to her. What if I was wrong? It would crush her.

And so sometimes she would say something that would make me think and I couldn't respond to so she would just keep talking till I did again.

She really was wonderful.

That's when the touching started.

I thought of it as simple friendly gestures, like tucking her hair behind her ear of locking eyes with her as I spoke and then I would hear her heartbeat accelerate and I knew it was doing things. I felt guilty, being that I was still married to that undeserving wench and she was engaged to Edward, but hey.

A little flirting never hurt anybody, right?

So I continued with my little game of making her blush and get nervous when she started being a little touchy with me.

Little things like when she brushed against me or leaned against my shoulder when she laughed. Then they turned into more dramatic moves. Once, her hand was on my thigh and when she moved to sit straight it rose just enough to make my jeans suddenly tighter.

I wanted to groan in frustration and get her back bad when she started getting tired. I smiled and pulled her against me to which she placed a hand on my chest and began to doze off.

You think I would've realized something would happen, but I just wasn't thinking apparently.

About an hour into her sleep that I envied greatly, she started stirring and sighing inaudible things.

"Emmett." She sighed dreamily and I swear on my mother's life, my cold heart beat once more. She mumbled more things and I realized so much why Edward loved watching her sleep. She said things about her mom and father and things about food. "Edward." Her face scrunched and I couldn't help the smile on my face when she seemed annoyed that it was him. "Edward. Leave. Don't hurt." I rubbed her back and she began to smooth. "Emmett, stay." My small grin turned into a huge shit-eating grin. I leaned down towards her ear.

"Always." Her body relaxed and when I sat straight, her warm hand, which was still on my chest, dropped down between my legs and I froze.

Holy shiiiiiiit. I groaned inside my head. Her hot little hand was just…there! It felt like it was burning me through my pants. God damn it! I regretfully moved her hand and picked her up to take her back to my room. I dropped her on the bed and snuggled in beside her.

Rosalie only liked to cuddle once in a while, but Bella didn't seem to mind the other day. I put my arm under her and pulled hher back against my chest. She was so soft. So warm. So beautiful.

Bella stirred and I knew she was sort of awake.

"Emmyyy." She drawled causing me to smile. "What was her name?" I froze and I knew instantly what she meant. I took a deep shaky breath and leaned in towards her ear.

I made myself do something I swore I wouldn't.

"Her name was Kaylee Jasey-Rae Rosemen. Her mother died while giving birth to her, and her father was killed in a car accident on the way to the hospital. She was in the orphanage for fifteen years before she found out she had brain cancer. She managed to live another couple months when she was told she would be dead in a couple days. She was walking by the forest when I smelled her. She was like a lesser version of a singer, but I felt her pain in her blood. I felt her terror when it was happening but she was so relieved after. I don't know how I felt it, but I did." Although it was nearly unbearable to handle the pain, I felt like she deserved that much.

Bella's hands tiredly wrapped around my neck and she lifted her face lazily to mine.

She left a lazy kiss on my face. I would've said my cheek but half of her mouth was on the corner of my mouth leaving a fire that rippled through me violently. When she pulled back and dropped her head on the pillow, she almost instantly fell back asleep with her body curving into mine deliciously. My lips felt like they were on fire at the feeling and I held her to me greedily.  
>It was the most wonderful feeling in the entire world. I would never forget that for as long as I existed. I buried my face in the back of her neck and breathed in her delicious scent.<p>

**Jasper POV**

We were already speaking to the nomads by the time Rosalie and Edward made their way to us. Instantly, I felt something strange between the two of them.

Ariel, Jackson, and Annalee—the nomads—looked at them and were instantly filled with longing for the attachment they had. I looked at them and saw it too. They were walking closer than normal and from both of them I felt contentment and love.

No fucking way. I glared at both of them but neither of them met my eyes. How could they do this to Emmett and Bella? I sent them a powerful wave of disappointment and saw them slouch in embarrassment and shame. But not regret. They'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Alice wrapped her small arms around my waist and her head snuggled under my chin. I rubbed my hands up and down her arms to relax her as Carlisle explained our eating habits to them. I leaned down to whisper into my love's ear.

"I love you more than you will ever comprehend." I said as quietly as I could. She smiled and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss me. I held her waist from behind as we continued to talk to the curious nomads. They were both human and animal drinkers, say they never really had a preference for either. They were very interesting. The sun rose and I briefly wondered about Emmett and Bella and if they were okay. How would they handle when they found out about this?

Edward growled at me and everyone stopped to look at him.

"You wouldn't dare." He growled at me as he stepped in front of Rosalie. I smirked and pushed Alice gently out of my way. I've been aching for a good fight for too long. Emmett was fun to fight with but Edward was more of a challenge being that he could read my mind.

"Edward. Jasper. Don't be rude." Esme chastised. But I knew her attempts were in vain, Edward had been a horrible person.

"You must forgive my sons. Edward has the ability to read minds and Jasper has the ability to feel emotions so obviously someone did something the other didn't like."

"Oh, it is perfectly fine." Ariel said with a laugh, watching our confrontation. Edward and I landed in a crouch and I could feel some fear roll off of him. He knew damn well that I was the better fighter.

"Why don't you tell them why we're fighting Edward?" I said as I lunged at him. He managed to dodge it and kick me hard back. I chuckled. "Tell them what I felt when you walked up to us." I commanded as I ran to him but slid between his legs and pulled them violently so he face planted on the ground.

I could hear the others asking what we were talking about. Edward and I went at for another minutes before I managed to get him in the kill position and hold him from behind. My arms held him in a head lock and my teeth was by his throat.

He was scared.

"Tell them!" I shouted viciously. He slumped in defeat but I refused to let up. He was hesitating so I tighted my hold causing him to groan in pain.

"Jasper…" I heard Carlisle and Rosalie say. I growled.

"Tell them, brother."

"Rosalie and I are mates!" Edward shouted causing a deathly quiet to fall in the air. I dropped from him and shoved him so he landed on the ground. Alice ran to me and hugged my tightly, sobbing.

"I am sorry that you had to see that." I said truthfully to our guest. "You see, Edward here is engaged to a human and Rosalie is married to my other brother. They are betraying both of them without having the decency to tell them themselves." I explained as I kissed Alice.

"Engaged to a human?" Annalee said with wide eyes.

"Yes. But it appears as though that wedding will not be continuing." Alice said with a frown. I knew she was worried that Bella wouldn't be a part of this life, but I knew that she would be. Edward growled at my thoughts and I rolled my eyes heavily at him.

We continued to talk for hours until the heat of the day began to pass and I decided that it was about four o'clock. With promises that they would return to see us once they traveled some more, they left.

Carlisle refused to speak to Edward and Rosalie as he grabbed Esme and began to run home. Alice just shook her head at them and started to run back home with me. As we entered the house, the first thing I heard was Bella's sweet laughter. I couldn't help but cheer up at the positive emotions coming from the house. If only she knew of her fiancé…she wouldn't be smiling anymore. I walked in to find Carlisle and Esme laughing at the sight before them, which I had to admit was quite hilarious.

Emmett was on top of Bella on the floor tickling her like crazy. Tears were running down her face as she tried to escape his grasp. She was laughing so hard that Alice and I couldn't help to join in.

"Mercy! Mercy!" Bella shouted with little breath. I heard Edward and Rosalie come flying into the house. Edward growled when he saw the sight and I turned around to look at him, teeth bared.

_Don't you dare Edward. Or I'll tell her myself. _I screamed in my mind causing him to flinch.

"Okay, Okay. You win! We'll watch your stupid movie!" She sighed in defeat as she collapsed on the ground trying to catch her breath. Emmett jumped up and laughed victoriously, causing us all to stare in awe. This was the first time since the accident we saw him in normal light and happy.

"Awesome!" We were even more shocked to hear his voice. I could feel the admiration and compassion he felt for Bella, who was the ultimate reason he woke up from this. Emmett, noticing that we were all here, came over to hug Carlisle and Esme at the same time. "I missed you guys." He said with love and longing for forgiveness.

"Oh Emmett. You look wonderful." Esme said with love for her son. I knew she was having a hard time seeing Emmett go through all of this. He pulled back and kissed his mother on the cheek and turned to Carlisle.

"Hello, my son." He said placing a firm hand on Emmett's shoulder. Emmett smiled and did the same to him.

"Hey Old Man, I think I see a gray hair!" Emmett teased making Carlisle roll his eyes.

"Still as annoying as ever." He sighed making us all laugh.

"Crap! It's 5 already?" Bella said jumping up from her position on the floor. I could see her stagger from disorientation of getting up so fast, so I ran to her and held her up. "Thank you Jasper." She said with a smile. "I need to get home before Charlie does to make him some dinner." She explained as she ran past us to go upstairs.

"Hey, Pops." Emmett said after a moment. I could feel hesitation but determination radiate from him. "I think I need to hunt." Carlisle smiled and patted his back.

"Of course son." He said with a smile. I could feel excitement from Rosalie and I glared at her. I guess once Emmett was somewhat back to normal, she would break it off with him.

"Hey. I need to get going!" Bella said as she bounced down the stairs with her backpack around her back.

"I'll drop you off Bella." I said with a smile. She hugged everyone but Rosalie goodbye and kissed Edward on the cheek. I could feel the pain and almost disgust radiate from him. She walked up to Emmett and jumped up to hug him.

"Thank you for today, Bells." He said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her. I could help but smile at the contentment and ease that came from both of them.

"Of course, Emmett." She said as she kissed his cheek and walked over to me.

I smiled and drove her home on my bike.

"Thank you again, Miss Bella." I said with a smile as I dropped her off somewhat near her house so her father wouldn't freak about a motorcycle ride.

"I'm just glad I could help. Thank you for treating me like a normal person, Jasper." I smiled and said our goodbyes. When I got back home, the house was quiet and I assumed everyone went hunting until I heard movement in my room.

I was suddenly there and found my Alice facing away from me taking off her shirt, revealing her stunning skin to me. She kicked out of her skirt and turned to me so I could see her new lingerie. I slid my jacket off my shoulders and dropped it beside me.

She smiled wickedly at me and I kicked the door shut to attend to some important business.

**Bella POV**

My day with Emmett had been wonderful and so needed. Emmett actually treated me like a person and I loved that he _wanted_ to talk to me. After I made some chicken parm for us to eat. I changed into some sweat pants and a tank top just in time for Charlie to come home.

We sat at the table and talked about our days and actually laughed. I was really going to miss Charlie when I was changed. He was selfless and took me in without doubt. He looked after me and always had my best interest at heart.

"I'm gonna go to bed, Dad." I said with a smile as I brought our dishes to the sink. "I'll get these in the morning." I gestured to the dishes.

"Oh it's fine, Bells. I got them. I am a grown man after all." He teased. I laughed and went up to my room, where I found Emmett kneeling by the bed, face in his hand.

"Emmett?" I whispered, quickly shutting the door and running to him.

"Bells." He sobbed. I wrapped my arms around him, briefly wondering if he messed up again. Oh no. He threw him arms around me and crushed me to his chest.

"Emmett? What happened?" I asked with tears swelling up in my eyes.

"Rosalie…" He choked desperately. My heart broke for him. She must've dumped him after the hunt.

"Oh Emmett. I'm so sorry." I started to cry. I cried for him. I cried for myself. I cried for Edward for ignoring me. And I cried for Rosalie.

"I just…" He tried to talk.

"Shhh. It's okay, Emmett. Remember what I said? You're going to be okay." He tried to say something but I continued to shush him.

As a wolf howled far in the distance, I vowed to myself once again that I would help Emmett.

I had to.

**HEYYYYY GUYS! Sorry this chapter is kinda hot and random. But I thought it'd be a good place to put all this shit. Ummm, Review! Please! I beg of you! It means the world to me! Umm, this isn't my best chapter I know. But I need this one done to get to the next one, which should be tons better!**

**Also, I'm going to be posting a oneshot of Jacob and Bella that night in the tent. **Winkeyy Facee** It might go into something more, if I get enough reviews on it. LOOK FOR IT!**

**~Pepper! **


	5. Chapter 5 HeartBreak

**Hello you beautiful people. So, thank you so much for all the reviews! This is really going better than I thought it would! :D :D**

**So let me apologize for the long wait. I really hate to leave people waiting. I'm gonna make sure the next wait isn't so long. I've had two birthday parties, plus my own, then I had doctor appointments at Hershey and I went to a Taylor Swift concert. Who, by the way, puts on one of the best shows I've ever seen live. Maybe I'll start doing some songfics with her songs…hmmmm. There's a thought. ANYWAY. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH.**

**Anywho, here is Chapter 5!**

**Aren't Edward and Rosalie just the worst?**

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><p><strong>Emmett POV<strong>

"Are you sure you're ready for this, son?" Carlisle asked me while placing a hand on my shoulder. I took a deep breath and nodded. It was time to get through this and move on with my life. We were in the middle of the forest for about twenty minutes before Jasper and Alice caught up to us, smiling like idiots. I shuddered dramatically for their benefit and they grinned. "Why don't you three go ahead and start. We might take some time." He said to Edward, Rosalie, and Esme.

Rosalie sighed and rolled her eyes heavily. "Stop treating him like a baby." She mumbled while walking away towards the forest. I couldn't help the shame that started to bubble beneath me. Edward gave me one look of disappointment and followed Rosalie into the forest. Esme light touched my cheek and gave me a reassuring look before kissing Carlisle on the cheek and running into the forest.

"You'll be fine, Emmett. I assure you!" Alice said with a smile as she hugged Jasper from behind. Jasper sent me waves of calm and I gave him a look of thanks. We jogged into the forest and I let Carlisle lead the way.

I don't know how long we ran before a breeze bought a delectable scent towards my nose. Immediately I froze terrified that what I smelled would bring the shame once more.

"It's okay Emmett." Carlisle said placing a hand on my shoulder. "It's bear. Remember? It's your favorite." The familiarity of the smell soothed me. Hmm, grizzly bear did taste wonderful.

"I think he needs to do this without all of us." Alice said as she sniffed the air looking for something appetizing. "Jasper, why don't you go with him? Carlisle and I will go searching elsewhere." She suggested, kissing Jasper fully on the lips. He nodded and watched as the two of them ran to the east.

"Are you alright, brother?" He asked me as I focused on the sweet smell. I nodded stiffly and he chuckled. "There are two bears. I smell a mountain lion near by. I figured you want to do this by yourself so I'll be back once that mountain lion is good as dinner. Then we'll play some Call of Duty when we get home." I could tell he was doing this on purpose just to cheer me up, but I could hear something deep in his voice.

I looked in his dark eyes and could see something he wasn't telling me. Jasper was always so good about keeping his emotions in check so whatever was bothering him, was obviously heavy.

We nodded at each other and sprinted away from each other. Another wave of that delicious smell came my way. I let myself give in entirely to my instincts and found myself sprinting towards one of the grizzlies. When I stopped and it saw me it stood on its hind legs and roared at me. I smirked and ran around it, causing the bear to become disoriented. I jumped up and slammed on its shoulders making it to crumple to the ground. He stood with vengeance and I could feel that this would be fun.

About half an hour later, both bears were completely drained and I felt full. Jasper came walking over, his hands behind his head in a relaxed position and looked at the mess of blood and ripped clothing around me.

"Nice." He said with a grin as he took in the sight. I stood up and used what was left of my shirt to wipe off the excess blood off my face. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he tried to clean up the area.

"You should know." I said brushing the dirt off myself.

"True. But I don't know the reason behind your feelings." We started walking at normal speed back towards the house.

"The shame and the guilt are still here." I said after a moment. "I don't think those will go away for quite some time. But I feel different about it. Like, with Bella. After I killed my singer years ago, I had a really hard time being around humans. I was terrified that it would happen with Bella. But I didn't want to and I don't think I will ever want to. Obviously, human blood is always going to call for me. I'm a vampire, that's nature, but this one changed me. I think my control is going to be even better now." I said while looking up at the gray sky.

"That's an interesting thought. We'll have to test it though before we go ahead and get you back in school from visiting your old friend from Tennessee." I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Really? That's what you told the school?" I chuckled as we broke out into a slow run.

"Yes." He rolled his eyes. "So when they ask, you were visiting your friend Stacey whose parents had just passed away and was having trouble coping. She called you because you would understand. The rest is yours to make up." He said as we ran to the house.

"When do you think I can go back?" I asked curiously. Jasper thought for a moment.

"Well I know that the others will be worried about you going so soon, but if you can convince them with testing your control, I think you could go back maybe tomorrow at the earliest and probably Wednesday to be comfortable." He said seriously.

"Huh…" I said as we approached the house.

Edward and Carlisle were speaking almost silently as we approached.

"Hello, son. Your eyes look well. I presume your hunt went well." He said with a forced smile.

"It did go well." I said with a nod. I could feel that Edward was reading my mind and looking at the conversation I just had with Jasper.

"You can't honestly believe that you can go back to school so soon." Edward scoffed. Carlisle looked at him than me.

"Emmett? Are you serious?" I went on to explain the same thing I told Jasper. Carlisle listened with no judgment or interruptions. When I finished there was a long pause before he spoke again. "Well, Esme does need more groceries for Bella."

"Carlisle? You can not be serious!" He shouted at him. I wanted so bad to punch to him in the face for disrespecting our father like that.

"Edward. Treat your brother with respect." Jasper hissed at him getting right in his face. I could see he was telling him something through his mind and I hated not knowing what was happening.

"I'm going to take a shower." I said bitterly running upstairs and into the shower. My eyes in the mirror were a swirl of red and gold. I smiled when I realized the red was visibly less than it was.

I took a scalding hot shower to scrub off all of the blood and wrapped a towel around my waist when I was finished.

I walked into my room to find Rosalie sitting on my bed looking beautiful. Maybe things could work out again between us. She sat with her creamy white legs crossed and skirt riding up just enough to tease me. But it didn't hold the same effect on me like it used to, how strange. I started to get changed while keeping my eyes on her the whole time. I could see the seriousness in her face.

I buttoned my pants and she sighed when I started putting on a t-shirt. "Emmett…" She sighed sadly and patted the area beside her on the bed. I sat next to her on the bed and she held my hands in her delicate ones.

"Yes, Rosalie?" I said softly wishing so bad that I had Edward's ability right now.

"You know that I love you right?" The words sounded forced and sad. I could sense that something terrible was coming. I nodded unable to form words. "I am utterly sorry that I brought you into this world only for it to come down to this but…" She mumbled.

"I don't blame you for bringing me to this world. I'm glad you did." I whispered.

"Emmett. I am sorry but do not regret what I am about to do. It's what I wanted for a while now." My eyes shut. I knew this was coming. "Our marriage is done, Emmett. I was wrong to make you believe that we were mates, when we are not. We are two entirely different people and I just don't feel that way for you." I couldn't bring myself to move or speak. Not that I would know what to say. Would I even want to beg her back? She didn't want me, which was very clear. It was quiet for god knows how long.

"Do you wish for me to leave?" I said quietly, trying to will my voice not to break emotion. She pulled her hands back.

"No. I don't want you to, but it is entirely your decision. You deserve to know why I am leaving you Emmett…" She trailed off and I grunted urging her to continue. "You know that when I was changed, my hope was to be with another." I held my breath and closed my eyes.

_Please don't say what I think you are trying to._

"I tried so hard to get over Edward, Emmett. You know I did. You were the greatest distraction to me for the past 60 years but there's always been this feeling within me. I always knew that what I felt for him wasn't just infatuation. The other night when we were in the forest, he realized it too. Edward and I are mates, and although I am sorry it had to happen this way, I am happy that it finally did." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Edward and Rosalie were mates. Rosalie was done with me. Edward would break Bella. Oh my god. Bella. How would she take this?

"I've moved almost all of my things into Edward's room and I've ordered the annulment papers. They should be here in a couple days." I couldn't speak. Although I had thought poorly of Rosalie the past couple days, this hurt like hell. There was a twisting in my stomach and something caught in my throat. She grabbed my hand once more and I felt her place something in it. I looked down and, if I were human, knew I would've lost it.

In my large white hand sat a ring that had been a sign of our 'eternity of love'. It was a large diamond with rubies etched like roses on the side of it. On the inside of the band written in elegant script was: My Beautiful Angel

If I could cry, I know I would be. I would always love Rosalie. She saved me, she brought me to this family, and she loved me. I never had any problem treating her like a princess because, well, she was a princess to me.

"Goodbye, my sweet Emmett. I hope you decide to stay with the family." She stood up and gave me another look. "I don't know when Edward will be telling Bella, but I know it will be soon. Then she will finally be out of our lives for good." With that, she left the room and shut the door, leaving me to my thoughts.

_Gone._

_Rosalie was gone. She left me. She is in love with Edward._

_Edward was with Rosalie. He was leaving Bella. _

_Bella would be crushed. Someone as good hearted as her has always experienced so much pain and this would kill her. _

I really don't remember how know I long I just sat there holding the ring in my hands. Eventually something in me snapped and I decided that I needed to see Bella. She deserved to know that her _fiancé _was cheating on her with my soon to be Ex wife. I sprinted out of my home, ignoring everyone trying to talk to me. I just sprinted towards her house with tears that could never fall making my vision blurry.

I scaled the side of her house and into her room, kneeling by her bed trying to pull my head off my body. I was confused and hurt. I knew that my feelings for Rosalie had been dwindling but I never thought it would come to this.

I heard Charlie and Bella below having a pleasant dinner and I couldn't help but envy her innocence in this situation. She's done nothing but love and forgive that bastard and now he was going to rip her heart out from her without so much as a twinge of regret.

I listened as she came up the steps and didn't bother moving when the door opened.

"Emmett?" She whispered as the door clicked shut.

"Bells." Was all I managed to choke out. I felt the burning heat wrap around me. Unable to resist the instinct, I threw my arms around her and crushed her to me.

"Emmett? What happened?" I could smell her salty tears and that broke me even more.

"Rosalie…" I couldn't bring myself to speak more than one word at a time. Her body slouched into mine and I briefly wondered if she had a clue about what she was going to do.

"Oh Emmett. I'm so sorry." I felt her warm tears drop on my shoulder and I held her closer as she let everything out.

"I just…" I tried to find the words.

"Shhh. It's okay, Emmett. Remember what I said? You're going to be okay." It was true, she had said this same sentence to me so many times over the past—how long has she been helping me? Time had been blurring together. I swallowed and tried to speak to warn her about Edward but she kept shushing me. Around this fucking hell I heard a wolf howl and I could tell instantly that it was one of her pups, but didn't sound like they were hurt.

Somehow during the evening she managed to move me towards her bed and I held her close to me as she began to doze off into sleep. Oh, how much I wish I could sleep. To escape reality for just an hour even. As I held her tight against my body I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Careful to not disturb her, I slid it out of my pocket and looked at the screen. Incoming call: Rosalie.

I hissed quietly and ignored the call. After a second she called again and I continued to ignore her for the next five minutes. I was about to turn off my phone when Jasper started calling.

"What?" I said bitterly. He sighed heavily.

"Where are you?" He asked. I always felt closer to Jasper than Edward. Jasper and I…there was this brotherly bond that I never had with Edward.

"Who needs to know?" I asked as I sniffed Bella's delicious scent into my senses.

"Mom and Dad." He stated softly. "Edward, Rosalie, Alice, and me." I groaned.

"I can't believe they did this, Jasper." I said honestly.

"I know. It was a disgusting thing that they did. I really am sorry, brother." I could actually feel the sincerity of his apology.

"It's going to kill Bella." I said quietly. It was weird talking to anyone but Bella to be honest.

He was quiet. "I know. She's going to need you more than ever when it happens. Are you going to tell her? Or are you going to wait for Edward to?" He questioned. I thought about it for a long moment.

"I'm going to tell her that he was part of the reason it happened. I know Bells, she'll confront him about it and if he doesn't tell her then, I will."

"That seems like a good plan." He agreed. After another minute or so we said our goodbyes and hung up. I put my phone on the side table and wrapped my arms around her again to pull her close against me. I listened to her steady heartbeat and shut my eyes, trying to will my body to sleep. After being in the abyss of her heartbeat for what could have been a minute, I felt her squirm beneath my arms.

I opened my eyes to her sun lit room and looked down at this innocent creature.

"Emmett?" She asked through her raspy throat. I squeezed her tightly at the sound of her beautiful voice.

"Bella." Her name flowed so effortlessly off of my lips. She turned around and placed her small hands on my chest—looking up at me with those large doe eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked lamely. I knew there were so many questions she wanted to ask but she was giving me space to which I was thankful.

"I'm not sure yet." I said with a heavy sigh.

"So, just so we're on the same page, Rosalie…" She fought to find the correct word. "left." Her question was heavy and she blushed as she asked it. Not out of embarrassment per say.

I swallowed loudly. "Yes. She left." I couldn't believe at how level my voice was. My whole reason to exist just left my life, and I was acting so calm.

"Emmett. I really am sorry." My eyes slipped shut at her words. I felt a scorching fire on my cheek and I let my face move towards her hand more. I would never get tired of the way her warmth felt against me.

"It's her choice. I just wish it hadn't happened the way it did." I let my eyes open to look at her chocolate brown eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly covered it and started to pull away. I whined at the loss of contact and she looked down at me with her wide eyes and reached out her hand. I stared at it for a moment before grabbing it between mine.

She gave a tug and I took that as a sign to move.

"I'll meet you downstairs. I need a quick human moment." She said with a smile. I grinned at her and watched the sparkle in her eye appear. She went into the bathroom and I jogged down the stairs to her kitchen. I looked in her fridge trying to decide what to make for her. I hadn't cooked anything in a long time and—not that I didn't know how—I was worried I would destroy her kitchen. I noticed a box of granola bars on the counter so I grabbed the milk from the fridge and searched for a glass. Bella was a simple person and she loved these granola things.

I heard her clumsy footsteps down the stairs and turned to her as she entered the room with wet drenched hair. That was fast for human speed.

"I wasn't sure what you wanted, but I know you eat these things like crazy, so here." I said holding out here glass of milk and wrapped granola bar. Her eyes lit up and a smile covered her face.

"Thank you Emmett!" She squealed as she grabbed them from my hands. She put the glass down and ripped open the bar as though she hadn't had one in years. She paused mid bite when I started laughing at her. She blushed and quickly swallowed before grinning sheepishly at me. "Sorry. I don't usually have these anymore. Edward always says that they're bad for you and he makes fun of the way they look. I mean, sure, it's not the most attractive food but they taste so good! He already made me quit PopTarts. Hello? PopTarts! I mean, he doesn't _make_ me do anything but he sort of makes me feel guilty about it. Remember when I told you that? He always makes me feel guilty about little things because I'm not as perfect as him. It's like—Hey, Emmett? Are you okay?" As soon as that _bastard's _name left her lips I felt myself freeze and fill with hatred. My hands had gripped onto the counter and I was trying so hard not to scream and go ballistic.

I let out a small growl when I felt the warmth on my shoulder. My body instantly relaxed even if I was still angry.

"I'm sorry, Emmett." She choked out. Sorry?

"What the hell do you have to be sorry for?" I growled through my teeth.

"I've just gotten in the habit of talking for long times with you. I guess I just started rambling and I'm sorry." I rolled my eyes and managed to pry my fingers carefully off the counter before I destroyed it.

"Don't be sorry. Don't ever be sorry. If it weren't for you…I don't know where I would be right now. I'd probably still be on the floor in a ball to be honest." Her eyes swelled with tears and a shudder racked through her body. It was a scary thought. "I mean, none of them but you actually helped me. Not even Rosalie…" I trailed off when I realized how disconnected I was from her name. I used to whisper her name as though I was talking to God and now… I couldn't feel any emotion with her.

She looked at me for a long moment before putting the granola down. "Do you want to talk about what happened? With Rosalie, I mean." She clarified once my eyes widened. I told her about Kaylee the other night, but with this new situation I didn't want to bring it up again.

"There's not much to say." _There's everything to say. _"I went hunting with Jasper." _Who was acting funny. _"Then when I got back to the house, Rosalie sat me on our—her—my bed. She told me that our marriage was done." _Because of your fiancé._ "She said I was great distraction for the past couple years, but that she couldn't keep doing this." _Only because while being married to me, she knew she was in love with your bastard._ "She gave me the ring and walked out of the room." _Across the hall to the room where you and him spent countless nights just cuddled in each other's love. _

"Oh Emmett." She wrapped her arms around me as much as she could and I squeezed her as tight as her body would take. "I'm so sorry." I shushed her and kissed her hair to breathe in her scent.

"Please don't apologize." I begged. She gave me another squeeze than pulled back to look at my face. As I looked at her a sudden flash of the other day came into my mind full haul. She was standing in that room with a thin short towel that just barely covered what I found myself so longing to see. The wet beads had been running down her skin and disappearing between that damn towel. And those little flirty touches we shared with each other made a sad smile spread across my face.

Note to self: Whenever mad, think of Bella's sexy body beneath that towel. Yum.

I thought about the other day when the family went to meet the nomads.

_Flashback_

"_Emmett. That's stupid. I'm not doing it." She scoffed at me with a wave of her hand. I laughed and held the bottle in front of her face. _

"_Come on, Bells. A little Jack never hurt anybody." I teased. She scrunched her nose in disgust._

"_No way." She said stubbornly. I shrugged and took a swig. Alcohol was a human thing that never bothered me and in fact I liked the taste of it. _

"_Your loss, Bellsy." I laughed. She seemed mesmerized every time I laughed. I guess I really had freaked her out. _

"_Sure, sure. What do you want to do?" She asked as she plopped on the couch. _

"_Well I can think of a couple things." I said waggling my eyebrows which made her hunch over laughing. God, that was such a beautiful sound. _

"_Oh shut up. Big scary vampire but really, you're just a teddy bear." I went to counter her words but felt that familiar tightness in my chest. She instantly snapped her mouth shut and looked away. I felt bad for treating Bella this way but sometimes she would make references about me being the monster that I was, and it physically _hurt_ to talk. We were quiet for a moment. "Hey Emmett?" I relaxed once she said my name. I think I was going to be attached to Bella for a long time for pulling me from this shit darkness. "How old were you when you were changed?" She asked curiously, patting the area beside her on the couch. She was good at distracting me._

_I smiled and sat down. "I was twenty when I was changed. Well, just barely I guess. I was changed the day after my birthday." I explained gazing into the wall remembering a time so lost to me. "It was 1941 when I was changed. I was born in March of 1921 and grew up in the heart of Tennessee." I said with a smile. _

"_That's nice. Tennessee sounds like such a nice place to live." I nodded and agreed with her. _

"_Let's not talk about ad things anymore." I offered and she smiled. _

"_Deal! Let's watch a movie!" She offered as she jumped up to look in our endless movie collection. _

"_Sure, that sounds fun. Just nothing girly and romantic." I stated as I went to the kitchen to find popcorn._

"_Of my god! You have Casablanca! That's one of my favorite movies!" She squealed. I laughed because it was one of my favorite movies, but I wouldn't let her know that. _

"_Oh hell no! We are so watching some manly! With explosions and cars and testosterone!" I said sliding into the living. She rolled her eyes._

"_Stop thinking with those stupid muscles, Emmett." She scoffed. I was suddenly in front of her, backing her against the nearest wall.  
>"You mean these muscles that you can't stop thinking about?" I whispered in a husky voice. She swallowed loudly and her heartbeat stuttered. <em>

"_Shut up!" She tried pushing me back but I just grabbed her wrists and pressed her against the wall._

"_Uh huh. I'm in your head right now, aren't I?" I only said this because the image of her pale silky body under that towel was still in my mind. This joke was slowly going from teasing to seriousness and lust slowly. I needed to lighten the mood, soon._

"_Go away Emmett. Stop thinking like a dog." She tried to slide under my grasp but I grabbed her waist. _

"_Say we'll watch my movie!" I commanded as I gave her a little tickle. She laughed loudly. _

"_No Emmett! Your idea of good movies is stupid!" I squeezed her sides and she flailed and thrashed with laughed._

"_Say it!" I yelled as her knees gave out and she started falling to the ground. _

"_Never!" She shouted through her fits of laughter. I straddled over her and ticked her sides for another minute or so before she started crying from laughing so hard._

"_Mercy! Mercy!" She shouted with little breath. I heard a faint growl and realized my family was here._

"_Okay, Okay. You win! We'll watch your stupid movie!" She shouted, giving up. I couldn't help myself from jumping in the air with my fists._

"_Awesome!" I looked into the eyes of my family and smiled. I was okay again._

_*End Flashback_

"Emmett?" She asked, snapping from my flash back.

"Yes Bella?" I asked curiously.

"Why did you get so mad when I said Edward's name before?" Instantly my fists clenched and my jaw snapped shut. She was watching my entire reaction and reached up to stroke my cheek to calm me down. I was never going to let her go again after what she did for me.

"It's not my place to tell you. But we'll just say that he had a major part in this whole issue with Rosalie." I was watching her reaction carefully and saw her eyes widen and then harden.

"He what!" She said, jumping back from me.

"Yeah." I mumbled.

"God, what is his problem? Why does he always think he can just butt in other people's lives!" Well I wasn't expecting that from her. Then again, she's been really anit-Edward lately. I shrugged and looked away. I thought he was family. At that moment, Bella's phone rang on the counter. She sighed and stomped over to it, looked at the name briefly then flipped it open.

"Hi." She said without emotion.

"Bella?" I growled at his voice.

"Of course. You called my number, remember?" I smiled at her comeback.

"Yes. Are you okay? You sound angry." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine. Just finishing up breakfast." She said as she finished her glass of milk. I took it from her and brought it to the sink to rinse.

"Who is there at the house with you? Charlie works today." I hissed and continued to clean.

"Not that it's any of your business, but Emmett is here." She said attitude. God, that was hot as fuck. I heard him growl.

"Bella! You know he's unstable." As Edward talked I lifted up my hand and mimicked him talking with my hand. Bella put a hand over her mouth and suppressed a giggle.

"Edward. Cut the crap. He's fine, stop treating him like a monster." I smiled at her.

"Bella. Obviously you've been hanging out with him too much. His language is so crude." I made a funny face as though I were Edward and Bella giggled.

"Edward, I'm eighteen. I can talk how I want to." Bella state and Edward scoffed at her words. "But anyway, Edward. I need to talk to you. Can you come over today?" I tensed visibly.

"Yes, I'll be over shortly." And then he hung up with so much as an 'I love you' or a 'Goodbye'. She slammed the phone on the counter and turned to me.

"I'm going to give him hell when I find out what he did." She crossed her arms over her chest. I smiled and gave her a big hug.

"Well, I'm going to go before he gets here. I'm not ready to look at him without wanting to kill him yet." I admitted honestly. I pulled back and gave her a long kiss on her forehead, taking in as much of her scent as possible. She nodded and gave my hand a squeeze. I pulled away and walked backwards towards her back kitchen door.

"Bye Emmett." She said with a smile.

"Bye Bells." And with that I ran out the door and let the cool droplets of rain soothe me.

**Bella POV**

I finished my granola bar and decided to sit on the porch to wait for Edward to get here. I fixed my hair and put on a bit of mascara then made sure my sweat pants were rolled so they hung just enough of my back. My tanktop was tight and my bra straps were hidden. I looked good for a quick shower. I heard a doorbell and looked at the door questionably.

There was no way he was here that fast unless he ran.

I opened the door and looked up to a huge smile.

"Jake!" I squealed as I jumped up to hug him. He laughed and hugged me tightly then swung me around.

"Bells! I missed you so much!" He laughed as he set me down carefully. I beamed up at him.

"I've missed you too, Jake." He smiled down at me then gave a sniff into my house. Scrunching his nose, I shut over the door and sat on the porch railing.

"That's not your douche bag leech." He noted with a faint smile. I rolled my eyes at him.

"No, it's his brother. Emmett. Do you remember him?" I asked as my feet swung off the railing. He leaned against the support beam and nodded.

"The one who got into a fight with Paul right?" He asked and I nodded. "Yeah. He's cool I guess. Way less annoying than doucheward." I couldn't help but laugh with him.

"Be nice." I scolded even though I didn't really care at this moment.

"No way, beautiful." I smiled up at him for the name. "Hey there's a bonfire tonight, you want to come?" I thought about it for a moment and decided I missed my pack family.

"Yes! That sounds like fun." He looked at me and grabbed my hand. It was so natural when he did this but the feeling I had the night he kissed me came back. I was going to lose him to an imprint soon and while I was so happy that he's going to be with someone I would be upset when I lost him.

It was bittersweet.

He was about to say something when my phone buzzed. I forgot I put it in my pocket. I took it out and it was pleasantly surprised to see it was Angela instead of Edward.

"Who is it?" He asked curiously. I smiled at him.

"My friend Angela. Do you remember her?" I saw his mouth twist and his head almost throb as he tried to remember. I laughed and shoved his shoulder. "Don't hurt yourself." I teased.

"I don't think I remember her." He laughed. I read the message from Angela.

'_Hey Bella! Do you want to hang out and do some homework tonight?' _Jacob read the message over my shoulder. "Hey why don't you invite her tonight? Maybe it'll be relaxing to have another girl besides Emily and Leah who hates your guts?" I rolled my eyes and thought about it curiously. I really did miss Angela. I typed back '_That sounds like fun! But I sorta promised Jacob I'd go to La Push tonight. You wanna come with?' _

"She's really nice. You'd like her. Maybe Embry would too!" I joked with a wink. He laughed and gave me a hug.

"It would do Embry good to imprint. He'd stop hitting on you like crazy." We both laughed loudly and I playfully walked past him with a little strut in my step.

"Ehh. I don't know about that. Embry is irresistible." He growled at me and I sprinted away from him laughing hysterically. He chased me around the grass until he caught me by the waist and we fell over laughing. He lied down on his back and I rested my head on his stomach. He stiffened when a car started to drive down my street. The familiar Volvo whipped in and slammed on the breaks. Jake stood and helped me stand straight as Edward suddenly appeared before us.

"Hello mutt." Edward hissed making me glare at him.

"Edward I talked to you about this. His name is Jacob." I snapped and he rolled his eyes. I could see them glaring at each other and obviously Jacob was saying something Edward didn't want to hear.

"No she's not." Edward said stoically. Jake just raised his eyebrow and I rolled my eyes.

"And what is _she_" I said pointing to myself. "Not doing?"

"Going to La Push tonight." Jake said without looking away from Edward.

"Oh yes I am." I looked at Edward and crossed my arms. "I haven't seen the pack in forever and Angela is coming with me." I was so tempted to stick out my tongue at him. Edward looked at me with disappointed eyes and I turned to Jacob.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed and I read the message. _'Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun. I don't want to impose, but I would like to go.' _I smiled and put the phone away. "Hey Jake, I'll meet you on First Beach tonight okay?" I said with a smile. He looked at me and kissed my cheek.

"Sure, sure. Bye Bells." Wow, almost the exact way Emmett said good bye to me. They were alike in so many ways. He took off running for the trees and disappeared in the shadows. I turned back to Edward and gestured to the house. He nodded stiffly and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the house.

"Bella. It is not a good idea to go to La Push." I rolled my eyes and sat on the couch.

"Edward, don't think I've forgotten about our conversation about you trusting me. You have absolutely no reason not to." He sighed and sat down but didn't speak. "Edward, I have to ask you something." He looked me dead in the eye and opened his mouth to speak but a vibrating noise distracted us. He grabbed his phone, flipped it open, and brought it to his eat.

"What?" He mumbled softly. There was quiet talking and I waited patiently. He groaned heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You've got to be kidding me?" He continued to talk for another two minutes before shutting his phone and standing.

"What's going on?" I asked standing up with him. He looked and me and sighed.

"The nomads we met the other night are at the house and Carlisle wants me home." I sighed, annoyed that we couldn't talk about Emmett.

"I guess we'll talk about this later." He nodded and walked towards to the door, stopping for a moment to look back at me.

"I wish you wouldn't go to La Push tonight." He said softly and I felt a wave of dazzle hit me full force. I shook it off, annoyed that he was trying to pull that on me.

"It doesn't matter. I'm going." He gave me another look before storming out of the house and slamming the door with so much force that the wall cracked slightly.

Well. Guess I'll get ready for tonight.

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><p><strong>HELLO EVERYONE. THIS IS A BREAK. BLABLABLABLA. TIME BREAK. In this time, Bella gets ready and dresses all hot like. Picks up Angela who looks all cute and starts driving to La Push.<strong>

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><p>"I'm really glad you could come tonight." I said honestly as I rolled down my window.<p>

"I'm happy you invited me." She said with a smile. Angela looked really pretty tonight. Black skinny jeans and a brown long sleeve V neck. Her hair was braided in a side fish tail and she had good amount of eye make up on. She was really beautiful.

I was wearing some faded blue jeans with some rips. I was also wearing black flats and a green tunic top. My hair was curled and I had eyeliner and lipstick on. We did look really good if I do say so myself.

"Of course, Ang. I haven't been able to hang it with you in forever." _Because I'm best friends with vampires and engaged to a bastard that doesn't trust me and my closest vampire pal messed up and attacked a human. So I've been trying to fix him while dealing with the fact my human days are numbered. _She looked at me as I went through my mini rant in my head.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right Bella?" She asked placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I know Ang. And you don't know how much I want to talk to you about, but it isn't the right time. Maybe in the future when I can handle this." I couldn't stop myself from saying that much. I wished so much that Angela knew about the situation so I could have a human friend to talk about everything with.

She smiled and nodded. "Well you know where I am if you ever need me." I smiled at her as we pulled up to the familiar beach.

"Thank you Angela. I really appreciate that." We opened the doors and started walking where I could see the fire and hear the roars of the boys.

"So this is what you do all the time?" She questioned as we padded through the sand. I laughed with her as two of the boys, which looked like Embry and Seth, started wrestling.

"Yeah. They become family." I couldn't help but to laugh at them and they all looked our way. Embry and Seth shouted something then started sprinting towards us. Angela froze and I looked at her. "Brace yourself."

"BELLA!" They shouted in unison as they approached.

"Stop it!" I shouted and then skidded to a stop in front of us before tackling us to the ground.

"Damn Bella. You're looking good tonight." Embry said with a grin, eye raking me up and down. "And who's your friend?" He said checking out Angela the same way. She blushed and I did the same but fought it down.

"Sorry ladies. We're really trying to control him. We're going to get him a muzzle and chain him down." Seth explained pushing him back. He was just too cute.

"Angela, the polite one is Seth and the _dog_ is Embry." I gave him a wink for the nickname and they laughed. "Guys, this is Angela." They nodded and we all started walking towards the bon fire. As we approached everyone's faces became clear and I started automatically searching for Jake.

"BELLA!" They all shouted as I approached. God they were all the same. I laughed and linked my arm through Angela's. "And friend!" They said with laughter. Angela laughed with me and I saw a figure come running towards the group.

"Hey Bells!" I heard the familiar voice call. As he came into the light I noticed his big shit eating grin fall on me and then he looked at Angela.

Everything snapped. His face went from a smile to amazement as the flicker of the fire danced on his face. His eyes were wide and he looked at her with such passion…

Like a blind man seeing the sun.

At the same time, the entire pack jumped up screaming "Oh!" At the same time. There were 'Oh shits' and 'No fucking ways' dancing around and I looked at Angela who was looking at me with confusion. Looking back at Jacob, I saw that he hadn't moved. My heart beat once painfully as Sam and Paul each grabbed on of his arms and ran him out of the light of the fire and away from us.

Everyone was looking at us with amazement.

"What just happened?" Angela asked after a moment once I heard a wolf howl in the distance.

"Um. It's a really long story Angela." I said as I swallowed hard. This was the feeling I've been having lately. This is why Angela texted me when she did. This was all fate.

Jacob had imprinted.

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><p><strong>Awwwwwwwwwwww. Frownie Face. Umm, you can honestly see where I was really into writing this chapter and where I wasn't. Sorry for that. The next chapter is going to have a really sad but happy moment with Jacob and Bella. It's pretty much going to be their goodbye to each other and it's going to be really sad. Sooo yeahh. <strong>

**Yeah! SO the next chapter is going to be a LOT sooner then the wait for this. Okay um yeah! Soooooo cooooolneesss. There were probably a lot of errors and crap in this chapter so I apologize. Leave me love, please!**

**Review Review Review Review Review Review! They make me write faster, and I love your input. Seriously.**

**~Pepper**


	6. Chapter 6 Figuring it Out

**Look at me, updating nice and quickly fro the greatest reviewers ever. **Smiley faces for everyone! So a lot of you guys were angry that Bella didn't find out about what happened last chapter and I love you guys. This IS a story though and your reviews make events happen sooner, or in ways you wanted it to happen. So please, REVIEW.**

**Okay the beginning of this is a whole lot of Jacob and Bella. No romance or anything although, I don't kiss&tell. ;) Angela will be filled in on everything in the next chapter so once this whole Jacob and Bella part is over, its back to Emmett.**

**Man, writing this chapter has given me an itching to post another chapter for my other temporary oneshot, What Tonight Could Bring Us. If you haven't read it and you want to read a Jake and Bella fiction, please go check it out! And I know, some of you may just adamantly hate Jacob but I've come to love him. Because honestly, I like Bella with everyone BUT Edward. Okay, enough selling my other story to you.**

**Well. I lied. Remember that Taylor Swift thing I was talking about? WELL. I started the story, Mine, and would love for you to check it out!**

**I've been debating on how Angela will react in the next chapter when she's told everything. It's like, yes part of me wants her to go all ape shit and yell at everyone. But I really just want Bella to have a friend already, so she can talk about Emmett, and she will realize that SHE LIKES HIM. Also, either at the very end of this one, or the next chapter (once Bella knows everything) Emmett and Edward are going to come to blows. Thoughts anyone?**

**COOL. I'm done talking now, so read and don't forget to review you stunning people.**

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><p><strong>Bella POV<strong>

"A long story?" She looked down at herself. "I didn't scare him off, did I?" She asked so insecure of herself. We were alike in so many ways. I pulled her into a hug.

"Oh God no you didn't scare him off. You look wonderful tonight and I'm sure everyone is going to have a hard time keeping their hands off of you." I said pulling back so I could look in her brown tear swelled eyes. She choked out a laugh.  
>"Sorry. It's just, I feel like I scared your best friend away." My heart throbbed once painfully. He probably would never want to see me again.<p>

"No, Angela. Don't ever think that. It's just that…" I trailed off and looked to the boys to help me out.

"We had a bet going on with Jake!" Quil shouted as he lounged against a log. I smiled and made note to thank him later.

"A bet?" She asked as we sat down on the nearest log.

"Yupp. He lost a bet so he had to sit all the way out there and we had to time how long it would be before the food and…company made him come over." Embry jumped in, plopping down next to me wrapping an arm around me.

"You guys are horrible!" Angela laughed and I tried to laugh with her but it was obviously forced.

"Oh everyone, this is Angela!" They all looked at her as I spoke. I began to point everyone out. "You already met Embry." I said gesturing to the pervert who had his arm around me. "Obviously you know who Jake is and that was Sam and Paul with him." She nodded and I saw her try and force each name to memory.

"Okay, I think I got it." I could tell she was really awkward.

"Would you mind removing your hand from around me, Embry?" I asked with a playful glare. He leaned his face over and kissed the side of my head by my ear.

"I heard Sam asking me to get you. You need to talk to Jake." Then he removed his arm and slid down onto the sand to put a hotdog on a stick. "So Angela, baby. What brings you to La Push this beautiful evening?" He asked curiously as he subtly pushed my leg.

"Oh well. Bella and I haven't hung out in a while so I asked to and she said she was coming here and invited me." Angela said awkwardly as she tugged at her sleeves.

I was trying to find a way out of the fire circle when Emily piped in. "Oh Bella. Could you help me find Sam?' I eagerly nodded and looked to Angela.  
>"Hey I'll be back in a few, okay." She nodded, obviously nervous. "Now, you guys." I said crossing my arms and turning to the pack. I ignored Leah's hiss at 'guys' and looked at all of them. Paul came trotting back and sat down. "Don't do anything stupid to Angela. She's nice and not going to handle your bull shit." They all laughed.<p>

"Scouts honor that we'll be polite." I rolled my eyes at Paul and started to walk away.

"If they become any trouble, Ang, just tell me." She nodded and they all started talking to her at once as I walked away from the warmth and into the cool night.

"Sam?" Emily called out as we walked to the tree line. He came out and fixed his hair then kissed her with so much passion that I couldn't help the envy that filled me. "How is he?" She asked for the both of us.

"Confused. He wasn't ready for this and he's not handling it well. You should go talk to him Bella." I nodded and looked into the dense trees. Emily gave me an encouraging smile so I took a deep breath and walked into the forest to find Jake. I turned around to see the two of them walking back towards the fire, hand in hand, and my mind wandered to Jacob and Angela being like that. I frowned, I didn't want them out of my life.

"Jacob?" I called out softly, knowing he'd hear me. I found him leaning against a tree, his hands covering his eyes. "Jake? It's me, Bella." I said pathetically.

"I know who you are Bells." He sighed heavily. My heart throbbed again as I realized that this would be our goodbye.

"Are you okay?" I asked lamely.

"Am I okay? Am I okay?" He nearly shouted. "Bella, I just imprinted on your beautiful friend there and yet here you are, asking if I'm okay." I swallowed hard and looked at my hands.

"I can understand if you didn't want me to be the one to talk to you, but she doesn't know about you yet and I don't want you to lose control around her or tell her too soon." His hands fell to his sides limply and he stared at me as if I grew two heads.

"Bells. I want you here, I just don't understand why you are." He said looking at me the same as he always had, although maybe an old twinkle wasn't there.

"Why would you want _me_ here?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" He countered.

"I thought you'd hate me." We said at the same time, pausing for a moment to let out an awkward chuckle at ourselves. We went to talk at the same time but he shut his mouth and pointed to me to speak.

"Why would I hate you, Jake?" I asked but didn't give him time to answer. "Do you know how happy I am that you imprinted?" The tears in my eyes made it seem like I was lying. "It just really sucks cause I wanted more time with you." I said as I swallowed hard again. He moved towards me and reached out to me, but I stepped back.

"Bells. How can you be happy that I imprinted? I've been trying to get you to fall in love with me for months it just changed now in an instant because of someone I don't even know." I sobbed once at his words. I threw my arms around him and cried into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Bells." He said as I felt a warm drop hit my shoulder. I sniffed and pulled back to look up at him.

"What do you have to be sorry for? The girl of your dreams is just at that fire pit and you're holding me because I'm crying like a lunatic." He stared down at me and brushed his fingers over my cheek.

"Bella, I still see you the same. I'm not just going to walk away and leave you here alone. If I did that, Embry would probably trying to seduce you when you're vulnerable." I laughed once loudly. He was always so good at cheering me up. I tried to wipe the tears away but they were freely flowing now.

"How do you still see me the same? You imprinted." I asked as I tried to memorize his arms, face, jaw, lips, eyes, and everything else. I wanted to remember my Jacob like this.

"Bells, I've been in love with you since we were kids. That isn't going to change in a minute no matter what happened." Hearing him say he love me hurt but still managed to make me smile.

"But Angela is your imprint, you should only see her. You should feel pulled towards her, not me." I argued stupidly.

"And I do. I want to run over there, sweep her off of her feet, take her somewhere alone where we could talk. I want to know everything about her! If she likes to read or what her favorite food is. I feel the imprint pull there even though I feel it right here as well. Granted, its not as strong as that. But, Bella I love you." He fought with himself.

"Well you need to go to her, Jacob. Just let me have one more hug before I get going." He stared at me with wide eyes.

"Where are you going?" He asked almost hysterical.

"I'll leave you and Angela alone to get to know each other. I just want to leave with one more moment, then we'll have our goodbyes." I said through my tight throat. Everything hurt and was spinning. My knees felt weak so he knelt down in front of me when I let myself go down.

"Bella." He whispered, stroking my cheek again. "I'm not dying." He said with a sad grin. I mimicked his face. "This isn't goodbye. It doesn't have to be. Angela is your friend and you're my best friend. I can't lose you Bells." I sniffed and ran my fingers through my hair.

"But Jacob. It isn't…I'm not going to be welcome in the pack now that I have no reason to be here." I said sadly. He chuckled and grabbed my hands between his.

"Bella, you know that you are one of the pack. Imprint or not, you are family now." I couldn't help but smile through the tears. "Plus! Now you'll have a friend to talk to about all your supernatural things, well once I tell her. And we can all hang out and I don't have to worry about hurting you anymore." A few tears were running down his face as he talked.

"As long as she doesn't go running for the hills once you tell her." I joked causing us to laugh quietly. He helped me up and gave me another tight hug. "If you want, I could be there when you decide to tell her." He smiled and nodded.

"I'm really going to miss you, Bells." My eyes shut when he said my name. This was really bitter sweet.

"I'll miss you too." I said reaching up to touch his face. I looked over to the beach where the silhouettes were surrounding the fire. "But, you won't once you get to meet her. Her dad is a mechanic you know?" His eyes lit up with that twinkle that wasn't there before. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him again. I didn't want to lose him.

"Oh, Bells." He whispered.

After a long heartfelt moment with nothing but our tears and heartbeats I pulled back slightly and looked at him dead in the eye. "So does this mean if things with me and Edward settle down, you guys will be friends?" I questioned with a smirk playing on my lips. He smiled and moved closer.

"Hell no." We laughed together and I noticed how close we were. I suddenly craved the warmth of his lips even though they weren't mine to kiss. "Bella?" He asked huskily. I looked up at him. "Can I just kiss you? Just one more time before we go back over there and let this imprint thing take me over?" He asked with his throaty voice. I smiled sadly and bit my lip.

"Just you and me, right?" I asked, mimicking a phrase we used often with each other. He nodded.

"Just you and me." And then his lips met mine and my body erupted with so many emotions. Love, admiration, longing, sadness, hope, confusion, and heartbreak to name a few. Our lips moved in synch with each other and I couldn't help find myself wondering, if Jacob's werewolf blood somehow sensed that his original fate, me, wasn't an option and gave him a second chance with Angela. Angela and I really were similar, and I could see that they were going to be really happy together. Tears streamed down from my cheek to our connected lips and I felt his warms ones after a second. After much too soon we mutually pulled away and I bit my lip.

Our eyes opened and looked longingly into each other's. "Goodbye Jacob Black." I said with a smile, glad that we had some type of closure.

"Goodbye Isabella Swan." He mimicked. "This is an end and a beginning." I smiled and nodded. We stepped away from each other and wiped our tears.

"Look at us, a bunch of saps." I teased. He laughed loudly and gave me another squeeze and we started walking back to the beach. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and we padded our way back to the fire.

"So then Quil had to run around the school in a chicken suit and he had all the teachers chasing him like crazy." Jared finished the end of a story that had everyone around the fire near in tears. They all looked at our arrival and I squirmed away from Jacob's touch. Normally if we would come back to the group in this position there would be constant innuendos but no one even showed interest in doing anything like that. I guess an imprint changes everything. As I approached the log where Angela was sitting I shoved Jacob away playfully and he subtly made his way next to her. I sat on the other side of her at the end of the log.

"Hey guys! The water is great!" A small boy—smaller than Seth screamed running back towards the group. I think it was Colin, but I couldn't be sure. The boys cheered and everyone sprinted towards the water, not caring about jumping in with their shorts. Angela looked at me and gave me a hug.

"What was that for?" I asked once she pulled back.

"I recognize cry-eyes anywhere." She said with a smile. "Are you okay?" I nodded and smiled.

"I'm fine. Remember thing I want to talk about, but can't yet?" She nodded. "Well Jacob is sort of involved with it and we just had a very meaningful conversation." She smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry, Bella." She said sincerely. "Do you want to talk about any part of it?" She asked, obviously not trying to pry.

"Well…" I trailed off. "Part of it is that Edward and I have had a lot of fights and issues lately. He doesn't trust me and is really distant." I blurted out.

"Because of Jacob?" She asked in shock.

I laughed. _Not anymore._ "No, no. Actually it's because of his brother, Emmett." Her eyes widened.

"No way!" She shouted.

"Yeah." I blushed.

"Well, to be honest, I've always thought Emmett to be the most attractive of all of the Cullens." We both laughed together. I _liked_ being a teenager.

"True, true." I said honestly. She was quiet for a moment, looking at everyone down by the water. "So, do you think he's cute?" I asked, nudging her shoulder.

"Who?" She said sitting up in shock.

"Jacob of course." She giggled but quickly stopped.

"Wait, I thought he liked you?" I shook my head instantly.

"No, Jacob and I are only friends. Best friends, but nothing more." I told her, surprised when it didn't hurt as much. She bit her lip and it was hilarious, because it was on the opposite side that I always did.

"Well…then yes! He's super cute!" We squealed and laughed. "Hey Bella? Do you think that I'll be allowed to know what's been happening with you and Edward and Jacob?" She asked curiously. I smiled and nodded.

"Of course. But just so you're warned, it might freak you out. So as long as you don't go running for the hills and let everything get said, you'll be in on everything." I loved being honest with someone.

"Well if you survived whatever this is, then so will I." She said with determination. I nodded and we both looked to Jacob, who came running back to us, water dripping off his body and hair like a super model. When he stopped he ran a hand through his hair and I was tempted to take a picture right there. Angela was completely mesmerized by him as he reached a hand out to her. She looked at me for approval and I pushed her away from me to him. She laughed and grabbed his hand causing his eyes to light up like the sun.

They were going to be really cute together. I stared at the fire for a while before standing and grabbing my things.

"Hey Bella!" I looked and saw Seth running towards me. He tackled me in a hug and I squeezed him as hard as I could. "You heading out?" He asked when he saw my bag over my shoulder. He held me an arms length away and smiled down at me. For only being fifteen (I don't care how old he's supposed to be.) He was really tall—then again, all of them were.

"Yeah. I really do have to get going." I lied smoothly. "Though it was really great seeing you, Seth." I said with a smile. His grin grew twenty times and then he looked down at the beach. Following his gaze I saw Jacob and Angela a little away from everyone else. Angela was standing by the waters edge, squealing when Jacob would splash her.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" He said with a sigh. I chuckled bitterly.

"Yeah. It really is." He turned to me and gave me a shy smile.

"I really am sorry, Bella. Definitely not how you hoped the evening would be, huh?" I laughed.

"Don't be sorry. He's going to be really happy with her. They deserve each other." He smiled.

"Yeah, they really do." He admitted. "So where are you going exactly?" He called out as I started to walk away. I turned around and started walking backwards slowly, so I wouldn't trip.

"Well my best Vampire friend just got dumped by his mate of 60 years and told me that my jerk of a fucking fiancé had a major role in it. So I'm going to go yell at them and hope I don't make a fool of myself. Oh! And I have to deal with the fact that I think Edward and I might be finished with our relationship, so I might just have to find new mythical creatures to hang out with." Seth just stared at me with his jaw dropped. I winked and turned around.

"You are the craziest bitch I've ever met, Bella. Go kick some vampire booty!" I threw my head back and laughed at his words.

"Thanks Seth! Tell Angela I said I had to leave for family reasons!"

"Will do!" He shouted by the time I reached my truck. I drove home and looked at my phone, wondering when Edward would call to reschedule our little 'talk'.

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><p><strong>THIS IS A BREAK! IT IS A BREEAAAKK. YAYYYYY<strong>

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><p>It's been two days since the bon fire and two days since I've had more than a two minute conversation with Edward. That was it, this ends now. I jumped in my ancient truck and started to drive to the Cullen's household. I hadn't seen Emmett in two days but talked to him more than my <em>fiancé<em>. That night after the fire and the whole Jacob incident, I called Emmett to talk to him.

_Flashback_

"_Emmett." I said through the tears. I was in my room, under my blankets trying to settle down. I know that Jacob and I resolved this whole imprinting issue but that didn't change the fact that it hurt like hell._

"_Bella? What's wrong?" He asked frantically. I sniffed._

"_Nothing really. I just…uh. I went to the bonfire in La Push tonight." I said through a raspy voice. He growled._

"_Did those monkeys hurt you? I swear to god I will rip out their throats and—" I quickly cut him off,_

"_No. Not physically anyway." I choked out. I could feel him calm through the phone._

"_What happened, Bells?" I sobbed once at the nick name. I knew that Jacob wasn't dead or anything, but it felt like a huge meaning in my life was ripped out._

"_Well, uhh. Remember how I brought Angela?" I sniffed._

"_Yes, beautiful, I do." He answered and I couldn't help but smile through the tears. Him and Jacob were a lot alike. _

"_Well when we got there, Jacob saw us. And well, he saw Angela." I trailed off not wanting to say it but when he remained quiet I knew I had no choice. "He imprinted on her." I rushed out. It became silent and my tears continued to flow onto the pillow. I waited for a typical answer that I would receive from Edward. Something along the lines of 'oh Bella I'm sorry. That must have hurt you. But it's all for the best now' blablbalblbal. I didn't want to hear that and after a long moment, Emmett spoke again._

"_Wow, Bells. I'm sorry." I could hear the sincerity in his voice. "I know that must really hurt." His answer caught me off guard. He didn't try to tell me that I would be okay eventually. I _knew_ I would be. But that didn't change the fact that I was in pain _now.

"_Yeah it did. It damn near killed me." I said with a faint smile. He chuckled once uneasy. _

"_Hey, I'm in the area. Do you want me to stop by? Or would you rather be alone? I know how much he meant to you." My eyes slipped shut from his soothing words. I swallowed the hard lump in my throat before speaking._

"_Um, actually. I could use some company like you." I said weakly. _

"_I'll be there in a minute, Bells. Go open your window." _

"_Okay, Bye." And then we hung up. I staggered to my window and lifted it up with a loud groan. I sat back on my bed and waited before I heard a hushed whisper from below. I ran to the window and leaned over it to see Emmett in all his glory standing there with a sad smile on his face. I backed away and watched as he came flying through the window landing with a graceful thud. _

_He instantly opened his arms out to me and I ran into them, finding comfort in the coolness. We made our way to the bed and he held me as I was crying till I fell asleep._

_The next morning when I woke up alone, I found a note that said 'Hey Bells. I had to leave before the good ole' Chief found me. I promise to call you later. I'm glad you let me come see you and I hope you're feeling better._

_The One and Only_

_Emmett'_

_I spoke to Emmett for at least two hours that day and Edward one minute._

_End of Flashback_

How sick is that? As I parked my truck in front of the house, Alice came to my window.

"Bella! Why are you here?" She asked with a pout. Obviously my decision was so sudden, that she didn't see it happening.

"I need to talk to Edward. This avoiding me bull shit, ends now." I opened the door and she moved so I could get out.

"I don't know if now is a good time, Bella." I could see something was wrong in her eyes.

"Why not? Now is as good as ever." I said bitterly as I began walking to the steps. "Where is everyone?" I asked as she appeared beside me.

"Well Carlisle is working and Esme is out buying things for the garden. Emmett is out for a run. Edward and Rosalie are—" She stopped suddenly as though someone forced her to.

"Alice? What's wrong?" I asked as I reached the top of the stairs. She fidgeted with her hands and I heard the door open.

"It's better this happens now, Alice." I recognized Jasper's voice. I eyed him suspiciously and he pushed open the door wider, gesturing for me to come in. "He is upstairs." He drawled. I hung my jacket next to the door and began making soft steps upstairs. What could possibly be going on?

I stopped in front of Edward's door and for some strange reason, felt the need to knock. I shook my head and reached for the handle. _This was going to be my room soon, I don't need to walk._ I walked in and saw Edward—who was relaxing on the bed with his hands behind his head—snap his face towards me. I followed where his gaze had been to where that familiar gorgeous figure of Rosalie stood in lingerie putting clothing in drawers. She turned to me and smirked with that devil smile.

"Edward?" I managed to choke out. I felt very insecure standing in the same room as her. I swallowed a lump in my throat and tried to keep my focus on his eyes. He stood slowly and walked towards me, but I took a significant step back. He needed to explain this. Now.

"Bella? What are you doing here?" I just gaped at him. Rosalie was in his room wearing cloth that shouldn't even be considered clothing, and he was questioning my reasons for being here.

"Edward." I stated through teary eyes. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. I needed to be strong. "What is going on?" I asked, motioning my head towards Rosalie who was humming and putting things back in drawers at a nice human pace. He seemed at a loss for words for a moment before stepping out into the living room and closing the door. As though that would erase that image from my mind.

"Bella. Nothing is going on." He said in that silky voice that _used_ to have me dropping to my knees to do whatever he said. His eyes were smoldering and that crooked grin played on his lip. He was trying to dazzle me and I'd be damned to let that happen.

"Edward, cut that crap out." I snapped at him causing his eyes to harden once more. "You can't swindle your way out of this situation. What Is Going On?" I asked slowly through my clenched teeth. He was dead silent again, just looking into my eyes before letting out an unnecessary sigh.

"Bella, we need to talk." He said through a cold voice. I fought back the flinch though I'm sure he saw it. 'We need to talk' was how everything bad happened in the movies. I swallowed and planted my feet. Helping Emmett has taught me to be strong.

"We need to talk?" I mimicked. "I've been trying to get in contact with you for the past two days and all you say is, 'we need to talk'?" I shot back. "I've needed to talk to you ever since the day of the bonfire. Oh, which by the way, was one of the hardest nights I've had to go through in a _long_ time and you were nowhere to be found." He kept his mouth shut as I ranted at him. "I know you had something to do with Emmett and Rosalie's break up, Edward. I want to know why and you better tell me the truth." I was surprised at the rush of confidence I got but then realized that Jasper was in the house and probably was helping me. I let myself feel gratitude so he'd know.

"And who told you that?" He snapped at me. Of course he would avoid everything else I said and only focused on who tarnished his perfect name.

"What does that even matter? Just answer my damn question Edward." I countered quickly. His eyebrows raised.

"Bella. You're language is vial. Obviously you've been hanging around your _mutt_ and Emmett too much." My jaw dropped and I glared at him. He had _no_ reason to bring up Jacob and Emmett.

"Edward! I can say whatever the _fuck_ I want. And his name is **Jacob**! What the hell don't you understand about that? And he's not my Jacob anymore, but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you Edward? Nope, cause you're too busy avoiding me because _you_ had some type involvement in Emmett and Rosalie's breakup and I demand an answer." I felt exhilarated standing up to Edward like this. He looked furious but I held my ground.

He laughed once. "You _demand?_" He sneered the word. "Bella, you are the woman in this relationship, you don't make the choices." Instantly Jasper was at my side once he felt my pure rage. His eyes were wide and his teeth were pulled back to growl at him.

"Don't you _dare_ talk to her like that, you monster." My breathing was accelerating from the amount of anger I felt. Jasper looked at me and his mouth relaxed slightly. "Bella, you need to calm down before I rip his arms off." I couldn't help but laugh once at the statement.

"Well I certainly wouldn't mind." I said looking directly into Edward's eyes. I saw the undeniable fear cross his face for a moment because Jasper was definitely capable of hurting him.

"Bella." Edward snapped at me like a child. I scoffed and turned to walk away when I felt a hand pull me roughly. "No one said you could walk away from me." That animalistic growl froze me to my bones. When he pulled me back I heard my arm crack and I screamed. The hand was removed instantly, since it all happened in a second, and I spun around to see Jasper holding Edward with one hand tangled in his hair, pulling so roughly that I even winced when I saw Edward's face of pain and the other on his ankle so he was lifted up. Despite Edward's struggles Jasper walked coolly towards the end of the hallway, which was just a wall of glass, and threw him out of it. I cringed at the sound of it shattering and watched as Jasper dove out of new open 'window' and launch down to where he threw Edward.

I ran to the giant hole and looked down below where two blurs of white were attacking each other. I fell to my knees when my arm pain registered to me and felt tears run down my face. I saw Edward suddenly visible go flying back into a tree and Jasper turn to me, obviously feeling my pain. I smiled weakly and urged him to continue. He winked at me and I tried to stand, despite the pain. When I turned around I felt someone grab onto my collar and pull me off the floor.

"Rosalie!" I choked out as she used her other hand to squeeze the wrist of the injured arm. I screamed in pain loudly and heard the sounds from below stop instantly. She walked me to the edge and dangled me off the edge of the once glass wall. I clawed at her hands desperately and noticed just how far off the ground we were.

"Back off of my mate." She growled at Jasper below. I looked down but still kicked and struggled against her grip. Jasper was looking up at me with despair and fear in his eyes. Edward went to attack him from behind and I screamed just in time so that he could dodge.

Wait, mate?

Everything sort of slowed and I had this crystallizing moment where everything became clear. Emmett's anger at Edward, Edward's distance towards me, Jasper's weariness, Rosalie moving into Edward's room, everything.

Edward Cullen and Rosalie Hale were mates. Tears flowed down my face as I felt myself becoming hysterical.

"Rosalie!" A stern roar came from below. She looked around my dangling form to look and I turned my head as far as I could to see Carlisle standing below with fire in his normally calm eyes. I sobbed out and tried to talk but couldn't find the words. I felt weak and breakable.

"NO. Carlisle, she forced Jasper to attack Edward. She _must_ be punished." She said with acid lacing her words. I felt parts of my shirt rip by the collar and forced a harder grip on her rock arm.

"Please, stop. Stop. I didn't mean to." I started begging as wrapped a hand around my neck.

"Didn't mean to?" She scoffed. "As if. Just get this through your thick skull, Bella." She sneered at me as she applied enough pressure to cause me to gasp painfully. "Edward doesn't want you. He _never _did. No one in this family wants you. You are a pathetic human that we all can't wait for the day that you are out of our lives. Oh, and you're new friendship with Emmett? Consider it Over. He pitied you. It doesn't matter if you brought him from his baby state of killing a human, you are never and never will be enough to actually hold his attention." Tears were causing my vision to blur. I heard shouts from below but all I could focus on was Rosalie's words. They were so true, I knew that it was true.

I let out a strangled scream as she squeezed a little tighter causing my body to flail hopelessly. I clawed at her arms, trying desperately to restore the normal flow of air to my lungs.

"Back up everyone!"Rosalie shouted once she heard the family behind her. "I'm going to drop this bitch off this window and we can go back to our normal lives." I saw Jasper move to sprint down to save me and Rosalie laughed. "Or I guess I'll just jump off with her, and hold her under my feet so she is crushed." She laughed maniacally.

The whole family screamed 'No' as Rosalie jumped thiry feet in the air and went to throw me beneath her feet.

My scream could probably be heard in my Dad's office and memories of him flooded my memory.

I was unable to close my eyes as the ground came careening towards my face and just went to close my eyes when I felt someone grab my waist roughly and pulled me out from her high heeled feet. I slammed into a rock hard body and threw my arms around the neck of my savior, crying hysterically. I felt us land on the ground and his hand shot up to grab Rosalie by the heel, than throw her against the tree.

I didn't understand the noises coming from me as small circles were rubbed onto my back. I couldn't handle this. I saw Edward appear at Rosalie's side. She was grabbing her foot and moaning saying some nonsense of 'bending her foot'. I pushed off of my savior and despite everyone's attempts, turned to them.

"You fucking cheated on me. With Rosalie." I snapped and he looked at me with hate in his eyes, but a small dose of sympathy I guess. "The girl you claimed you couldn't _stand_ sometimes. And then, that bitch tries to _kill_ me. And you're at her side in an instant when she gets hurt." My hand was at my neck where I know there would be bruises soon. I slipped the huge disgusting ring off my finger and whipped it at him with as much aim and energy I could muster. "I thought you had morals, Edward Cullen. But you are a monster." Everything was beginning to spin so I turned around to lock eyes with my savior and smiled weakly before slipping down onto my knees,

"Emmett." I whispered desperately before I let the darkness overtake me.

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><p><strong>Well. Um. Sorry about this. This actually isn't where I wanted, or originally wanted, the chapter to go. But I guess it's okay? Maybe? Boy the next chapter is going to be difficult now with her all injured and crap… Hmmm. Oh well, a story goes in the way it's meant to go!<strong>

**:D I hope you guys actually liked this! Um yes, incase some of you get confused Emmett is the one that saved Bella and that's why she said his name. Edward's sexist woman remark was actually based the time period he grew up in, where women didn't have many rights and pretty much cooked and cleaned and did everything the man said.**

**Fuuuuun**

**ANYWAY. I think if I decide to have Rosalie and Edward leave for a while, it won't be for long. They make so much drama that I'd need them back! Carlisle is going to be sooo mad.**

**Oh and the only reason he was there and not at the hospital like Alice said, is because when Bella went to go talk to Edward, she saw something bad happening and called both Carlisle and Esme back as quick as she could.**

**She didn't call Emmett though, our wonderful hero and you'll know how he knew next chapter.**

**OKAY.**

**Review, please! I beg of you! I was sooo happy with the reviews this last chapter!**

**Stay Strong, Stay Positive, Stay Beautiful.**

**~Pepper**


	7. Chapter 7 A Bond and A Break

**Sorry so much for the delay! I'm trying to update each of my stories this week! Check em' all! This one and Rebuilding From What Is Lost are updated today!**

**Hahahahaha. I really loved the reviews for last chapter everyone. There were many curse words and strong wording in almost every single one! They made my day, seriously. OHKAY. Here is chapter 7 and you'll figure out how Emmett knew and yada yada yada. Ummm, just go with it on how Emmett knew because I originally had two ideas. The first was actually giving him a power, but I don't think I'm ready to do that yet. Maybe in another story.**

**Speaking of other stories ;) Haha :D **

**Just a reminder to check out my sweet songfic, Mine (EmmettXBella) Rated: M **

**What Tonight Could Bring Us (JacobXBella) Rated: M. **

**What We Make of It (EmmettXBella, JasperXAlice) Rated: M, **

**Cue the Heart (EmmettXBella) Rated: M, **

**Rebuilding from What is Lost (EmmettXBella) Rated: M**

**Okay! Hope you all enjoy this next chapter. I don't really have an idea where I want this story to end but I'll tell you a couple of major things that happen. **

**: Emmett's reasoning for knowing Bella was in trouble**

**: Fast forward two weeks with Bella out of the hospital**

**: Jacob asks Bella to be there as he finally tells Angela the truth**

**: Her reaction**

**: Some surprises**

**^^^^^^^^^^ I only wrote that so I myself would remember the major topics that need to go in this chapter. Enjoy you stunning bastards!**

* * *

><p><strong>Emmett POV (Before the incident)<strong>

I felt the wind brush over my face smoothly as I sprinted through the forests and past town after town. This morning I felt as though I needed to get out of the house and away from Forks. During the early hours of the morning I was playing Xbox when I heard Rosalie and Edward discussing her moving the remainder of her things into his room today and I felt sick to my stomach.

Rosalie tried to smile at me sometimes like nothing was wrong and as though this was the most normal thing in the entire world, even though every time I saw her I wanted scream. Edward always had this cocky look on his face now, like he finally one his little victory prize. Jasper tried to comfort me as much as possible, but it was difficult when he was really starting to hate Edward for the shit he had done.

So this morning, I couldn't stand to walk into _my _room and see Rosalie wearing a red silk robe and packing at a slow human pack the final bits of her clothing and make up and I sprinted from the house to get some fresh air. I knew I had been in parts of Canada but I wasn't ready to go anywhere near where I ended that poor girl's life so I started running back.

As I ran (slower than usual) back to Forks I found myself thinking of Bella. She really needed to know about her precious Edward soon before she found out in a horrible way. If she doesn't know by today, I'm going to tell her myself.

I thought of those doe eyes that Bella had and couldn't help myself from smiling. What was going on with me lately? The love of my life leaves me for someone I considered my Brother, and I'm spending time with said so-called brother's fiancé.

Bella and Rosalie were complete opposites. Rosalie was confident, pig-headed, and a spoiled princess. Bella has courage, she never judges, and never asks for anything more than what she's given.

So why did I think about both equally?

There was something seriously wrong with me. Maybe Rosalie was right…maybe I was dropped on my head as a human.

A lot.

Suddenly, I was flung sideways and slammed into a tree causing a crack to echo through the forest. In attack mode I started to growl viciously and looked for the culprit but discovered no one. My arm began to hurt violently.

What the hell?

I started to jog back to the house when I felt something on my neck, squeezing so tightly that I began to cough for the unnecessary oxygen. I clawed at my neck, trying to release the pressure but it wouldn't change. I started to sprint back to the house when I felt a sickening feeling in my stomach. It was so powerful that I fell to my knees and leaned forward onto my hands, staring at the dirt. I just knew then something was terribly wrong.

Pushing through the choking feeling and the stomach feeling, I ran as fast as I could towards the house.

"Back up everyone!" The familiar acid like voice caused me to somehow run even faster. What was she doing? The invisible grip on my neck tightened slightly and I gagged. "I'm going to drop this bitch off this window and we can go back to our normal lives."

"Bella." I choked out through the feeling that was so powerful I had to force myself to stop breathing no matter how uncomfortable it felt.

Her laughter sent chills down my spine, but I was so close. "Or I guess I'll just jump off with her and hold her under my feet so she is crushed."

"No!" I heard as the break in the forest approached. I felt hard pressures in my back then. Pushing myself somehow harder I jumped through the trees as high as I could manage. What I saw would probably stay in my perfect vampire memories for the rest of my existence. The family was moving, as though in slow motion to my eyes, as Rosalie began to fall back to the ground. Underneath her high heels was Bella, staring desperately at the ground below her. Reaching out to her as I began to fall to the earth, I grabbed her waist and pulled her roughly to me just as the ground and her almost met.

Her arms flung around my neck and horrible sobs and gasps of much needed air began to flood from her mouth. I grabbed Rosalie's foot as it was going to hit the ground and flung it hard towards a tree, enjoying the way I crushed it slightly.

I clutched Bella tightly, trying to will her to calm down when she suddenly pushed away.

When I turned, I noticed what she must have seen. Edward by Rosalie's side helping her as she whined.

Everyone told her not to, but Bella was never one for rules, and stormed to them.

"You fucking cheated on me. With Rosalie." Edward's eyes revealed hatred, mostly towards me, but perhaps a hint of regret towards Bella. "The girl you claimed you couldn't _stand_ sometimes. And then, that bitch tries to _kill_ me. And you're at her side in an instant when she gets hurt." She was clawing at her neck where I could see purple bruises beginning to form. I unconsciously rubbed my own at the exact same spots she was.

She slipped the huge ring off her finger and whipped it at him, with surprisingly good aim. "I thought you had morals, Edward Cullen. But you are a monster." I could see her starting to wobble as she turned to me and smiled a weak smile before she sank down to her knees.

"Emmett." She whispered before falling forward. I caught her before she face planted and turned her onto her back, seeing some sense of calm on her face as she slept. The clouded light hit her pale skin so perfectly and when I noticed the black and blues beginning to become more prominent, I felt rage fill me to the brim.

"Emmett." I heard Jasper's voice nearly whisper. I looked up at him, seeing his hair disheveled and calmed down for his sake.

"Rosalie. Edward. Dining room, now." Carlisle's voice sounded truly like a vampire with all the anger lacing his voice. Rosalie went to say something, but his glare silenced her. I noted Edward's beat up appearance and grinned wickedly. I turned to Jasper and gestured towards him. He smiled and nodded.

I'd have to get the details from him later.

"I'm sorry Emmett. As soon as Jasper and Edward started to fight I left to get Mom and Dad but I should've known better." Alice sobbed from behind me. I carefully lifted Bella up bridal style and turned to Alice.

"It's okay, Alice. It's not your fault." She sighed in relief, but tears still glistened in her eyes.

"Emmett, dear. Why not take her up to your room to rest?" Esme asked me sweetly, stroking her brown hair. I nodded and quickly ran upstairs, tucking her in under the three blankets. She relaxed into the comforter and let out a sigh of content. She didn't move though, and I remembered she was probably severely injured.

"Carlisle." I said no higher than a whisper, knowing he'd hear. Instantly, he was there. "I think she may have gotten really beat up. Can you just make sure nothing is life threatening?" I asked him.

"Of course, son." He pulled back the sheets and carefully assessed her purple neck causing me to wince.

"Well there's a lot of bruising but nothing appears to be broken. Her wind pipes will be sore and she probably will have trouble speaking for a while." I nodded.

"Check her arm." I said as I looked over her body. He ran his fingers down her arm but stopped as soon as Bella's form began to shift nervously and a whimper of pain escaped her.

"Now that is a broken arm. Good catch, Emmett. How did you know?" He asked me curiously as he left for a moment to get a temporary wrap.

"I'll tell you later." I said in amazement as the memories of the forest came fluttering back into my mind. I could feel everything she did? How is that even possible…

After her check-up was complete, we walked down the dining room where everyone was sitting and waiting. Rosalie and Edward sat next to each other, hand-in-hand and void of emotion, while Alice and Jasper sat in the seats across from them, hand-in-hand, hate in their eyes. Esme was sitting on the far end of the table, away from everyone, and Carlisle took the head of it. He gestured for me to sit and I instantly chose next to Jasper, leaving the traitors alone on the other side.

"Now, I am a simple man. Each day, I go to work and save lives of humans that I may or may not know. Now I understand that those same people would probably not hesitate in burning me where I stood if they knew what I was. When I come home, I have a wonderful wife and a beautiful family who makes this eternal life worthwhile. Never before have I met someone as understand, nonjudgmental, and forgiving as Bella. She has done nothing but care for this family even when we betrayed her trust and left her alone. Then she goes and saves Edward, something that none of us could have done, and takes us back into her hearts. Edward, I don't care if your feelings about her had changed. You should have told Bella about this immediately. Rosalie, you've done some pretty shallow things in your lifetime. I understand that this isn't the life you wanted or would have ever chose for yourself but _attacking_ Bella and nearly killing her? We've said for a very long time now that she is part of this family and by attacking her, you have attacked kin. I will hear what you have to say." Carlisle finished, leaving us all a little uneasy.

"I never intended Bella to find out this way. I realize that there were plenty of opportunities to tell her but I just…didn't know how." Edward said quickly and almost completely rehearsed.

"Rosalie?" Carlisle asked when she didn't speak. She sucked her cheek for a moment before sighing.

"From the beginning, I didn't like Bella because I thought she was going to ruin this family and leak our secret. Then, I didn't like her because of her and Edward dating. When I saw that she wanted to become one of us, I didn't like her because she wanted to give up something I never had the option of. Then she helps Emmett when I can't and still manages to keep Edward. I finally have my mate and she's no longer with Edward so she has no reason to be around anymore. She got Jasper to attack Edward and I wanted her gone. I regret trying to kill her but I'm not sorry for wanting her gone." It took every ounce of my being not to jump across the table and punch her in her face.

"It's not just that you should be apologizing for." Jasper said softly, causing us all to look at him.

"Excuse me?" She snapped.

"Attacking her physically isn't what put her in so much pain. Yes, it did give her pain but it was what you said that broke her." I couldn't hide the growl that hummed in my chest.

"What did you say?" I asked slowly.

"She said, and I quote, 'Edward doesn't want you. He _never_ did. No one in this family wants you. Oh, and you're new friendship with Emmett? Consider it Over. He pitied you, It doesn't matter if you brought him from his baby state of killing a human, you are never and never will be enough to actually hold his attention.'" I didn't hold back the loud snarl when I opened my mouth.

"Why did you say that to her?" I screamed, causing everyone to wince slightly.

"Because it's true, Emmett! Edward never really wanted her, even if he thought he did. And you don't care about her! She 'saved' you and now you feel like you owe her. You and I both know that after me, she could never be what you want."

"Will you take your head out of you pompous ass?" I screamed at her, giving Esme an apologetic look for my cursing. She didn't seem to mind in that moment though. "Rosalie, I loved you. By the grace of God I found it in me to love you. You're not what every man in this world wants. You're controlling, demanding, spoiled, and selfish and I didn't see anything wrong with it because I thought you loved me for me. But you didn't at all. You were just counting the days until you and your precious Edward could be together, using me in the meantime. I don't like spending countless hours shoe shopping, or listening to your music all the time, or not driving my car because you like yours but I thought that relationships were about compromise and it took me a really long time to see that it was only a one way deal. I like my car, and my music, and shopping when it's not just one place! Bella understands that. Even with all your disgusting behavior towards you, she puts on a brave face and smiles at you hoping that one day you will accept her for who she is. But I just realized that she doesn't need for you to accept her. Because Bella is perfect the way she is. She's clumsy and shy and gives everything a chance and never doubts what one person is capable of. I care about her, Rose, everyone in this room cares about her wellbeing and you tried to kill her. What if it was Alice, hmm? What if someone here tried to attack Alice? You wouldn't have it, would you? So get over yourself." Her jaw might as well been hitting the floor and even I could sense Edward's anger through my words.

Her jaw snapped shut and she turned away, eyes filled with emotion.

"Emmett is right. You have attacked a member of this family and you seem unstable in how you may act around her." Esme said quietly. Carlisle nodded.

"I want you both to go to Denali for a month to clear your mind and figure out what you want to do about this."

"You're kicking us out?"

"Carlisle!" Both Edward and Rosalie said at the same time.

"I'm not kicking either of you out. I love you both with everything I have but there has to be some punishment for your actions. I will respect your decisions no matter what they may be in one months time, but I just want you to know that we all love you." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Fine." Rosalie hissed, sprinting from the room to Edward's. Edward just looked at us blankly before standing, nodding his head, and following his mate.

I let out a big breath and looked to Carlisle who was taking slow deep breaths. The rest of the family slowly disappeared until it was just the two of us.

"Carlisle?" I asked him softly. He looked up at me. "Can we go for a run?" A small grin played on his lips and he nodded. Just like that, we were out and running through the cool forest air.

"Are you okay, Emmett?" He asked once we were plenty out of sight.

"I don't know. I'm angry but just so relieved I got here in time." He nodded.

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" He asked as he jumped high in the air and sat on a tree branch. I smiled, he never acts like his age enough. I jumped in the air as well and sat on one on the other side of the trunk.

"More than you probably understand." I said looking away. "She…saved me." I added when Carlisle didn't speak.

"I know." I could hear the smile in his voice. "But what was that you wanted to tell me earlier? How did you know her arm was broken? He questioned, reminding me.

"I went for a run earlier and I was almost home when weird things started to happen." His silence was enough fro me to continue. "I was slammed against a tree by a force that wasn't there. Then it felt as though my arm was crushed. I was running by this point and I felt like there was something choking me and it got so bad that I had to stop breathing. And then I got this sickening empty feeling in my stomach just before I jumped through the trees to save Bella."

"Astounding." He mumbled more for himself.

"Bella was rubbing her neck when she was yelling at Edward and I realized that it was the exact same place that I felt as though I was being choked. When you were checking her over…I just had to see if they were related. What was that?" I asked a man who I always looked for to have the answers, which I never noticed how much pressure that must be for him.

He was quiet for a minute, although in his mind, which worked like the speed of light, it was probably much longer.

"It appears as though you and Bella have formed a bond of sorts and by the sound of it, a very powerful and intimate one. The fact is, you could feel when Edward broke her arm and when Rosalie was choking her. If I had to guess, it was so strong to you because your 'link' heightened it to put you through the same amount of pain as she was. The bond probably formed when she pulled you from your statue state. I think both of you need each other in a way you don't quite understand so your subconscious mind formed this connection with each other." As he spoke, I thought of Bella's brown doe eyes and how they looked to me with so much trust and knew his words had to be right.

"That's incredible." I whispered. "Have you ever seen something like this before?" I asked him curiously. He chuckled.

"Yes. A few times actually." His answer surprised me. "Jasper and Alice go through it all the time. When they're apart, they are so tuned with each other that it's almost frightening. At first, I thought it was because of her foresight and his empathy just heightened but then I saw it in others. Other people who formed bonds out of pain or of love. I've been told that Esme and I have the same connection." I leaned forward to look over to him as he spoke, a small smile playing at his lips.

"How strange…"

"You'd be surprised at the wonderful things that can come from tragic pain."

**Bella POV (Two Weeks Later)**

It's been two weeks since the whole Rosalie incident. Two weeks since I canceled my wedding. Two weeks since I've been wearing this ugly cast. Two weeks since I've worn a normal shirt that exposed my bruised neck. Two weeks since my entire life shifted upside down.

My dad was the first one I told about the wedding being canceled. To say he was happy would be an understatement. At first, he tried to be supportive and kept asking if I was okay. Once I told him that he was really cheating on me with Rosalie, he honestly asked me if I wanted him to shoot him. And as promising as an idea that sounded, I really wasn't up for explaining that a whole mythical life is actually real and I was engaged to one. He handled most of the calls canceling the wedding, thank goodness. My arm was officially broken from Edward's aggressive behavior but Carlisle told my father it was because I fell down the stairs when I was storming away from Edward.

"Only you would try and be forceful and leave a bastard like that, only to fall down stairs." He had joked to me once Carlisle told him.

Carlisle and I had a really long talk about the bruises on my neck. They weren't permanently damaged, although they did make it hard to speak for a few days, so we decided not to tell my father that part. Most of my simple tee shirts and turtle necks covered it without it being to noticeable, and today I was taking a risk wearing a normal shirt and using the 'best' tattoo cover up make up to hide it.

Emmett came back to school the same day Edward and Rosalie left for Alaska. Alice and Jasper eyed him like a hawk the whole day—waiting for him to slip but I had complete faith in him. Emmett saved my life that day when Rosalie attacked me and ever since then, I've found myself longing to be in his company.

I felt safe there. Charlie's been really cautious with the Cullen's since Edward, but once he found out Emmett was wronged by Rosalie he practically accepted him as family. Several times a week Emmett and Alice would come over and spend the day with me, which was greatly appreciated.

I looked at my full length mirror, happy with my appearance. I was wearing a white shirt that had lace on the upper back and shoulders, and ink like designs on the front. I was wearing a denim skirt since I was feeling a little confident today, and a pair of black and white checkered converse.

I carefully jogged down the stairs and went straight to my truck, started it and headed for school.

I was early so I had any choice of parking spot but I always picked the same one. Two minutes later, my favorite four door silver jeep wrangler pulled up next to me and I jumped out of my truck to meet them.

Alice let out a high pitched squeal causing me to wince. "Bella! You look so good! I thought I saw you picking this outfit but I wasn't sure if you actually did! That skirt fits you perfectly." I felt my cheeks warm slightly.

"Thanks Alice…" I looked up to see Jasper throw his arm around Alice's small shoulders and kiss her temple. He smiled at me with that southern charm and winked, making me blush more.

I growled at him, turning around to open door to reach over and get my books. I should've known how dumb that was—to lean over in a denim skirt in front of these guys.

I heard a cat call like whistle and I blushed before quickly grabbing my books and standing straight again.

"No need to give me a show, Bells." Emmett said with his big goofy smile. I looked up at him and arched my eyebrow.

"Trust me, Emmett. If I wanted to give you a show…" I trailed off, leaning a bit closer. "You would know." I added a wink for good measure before linking my arm through Alice's and wlaking towards the school. She was giggling beside me.

"Very impressive, Bella. You left Emmett speechless; something I've been trying to do for years." She added with a wink. I couldn't help but giggle at her and look over my shoulder to see Emmett staring at us, Jasper next to him, laughing. I had to say, seeing Jasper laugh brightened my day. Ever since he stepped in to save me from Edward I've felt so close to him although I long to get to know him more.

"Oh no." Alice mumbled and at first I was worried, until I saw a smirk with her glazed eyes.

"Hey, Bells. What do you say we ditch this Popsicle stand today?" Emmett asked with a crooked devilish smile, baring his teeth. I stared up at his dark honey eyes.

"You meant ditch school?" I questioned dumbly. He tilted his head in confusion, before poking me in the forehead with his index finger. It actually pushed me slightly.

"Yes you ditz. You coming?" He asked with a puppy dog smile. I bit my lip and looked at the school, weighing each option in my head.

The choice was obvious of what I wanted to do.

"Let's go." I said turning to Alice, kissing her cheek, and then following Emmett to his jeep. We sped out of the parking lot and drive for half an hour in silence.

"Emmett?" I asked. He hummed in response, one hand on the wheel, the other in a fist over his mouth as he thought. "How did you know I was in trouble?" I asked the question that had been playing my mind recently.

He was quiet for a bit, only the sound of the road humming beneath his tires. "I don't know." He said lamely.

"Liar." I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest and looking out the window. "I know you talked to Carlisle about something that day."

He chuckled. "Are you spying on me? Pervert." He said in a husky voice. I blushed but continued to look out the window.

"Emmett…" I warned. He sighed heavily.

"He thinks that when you…saved me…our subconscious minds formed a connection so I could literally feel when you were being attacked. Freaky, huh?" I didn't say anything and just let his words sink in.

An invisible bond that tunes us to each other's feelings? I could accept werewolves and vampires but that I was having a hard time comprehending.

"That sounds impossible…" I mumbled to the world whipping past the window.

"But in my case, it's the only reasonable explanation on how I was able to save you in time. My arm felt as though it were crushed, I could feel myself being choked, and I could feel your pain. Maybe it's my way of thanking you Bells." Emmett rarely got serious, at least when I was serious too, but hearing him speak like that sent chills down my spine.

"Guess you're kinda stuck with me, huh?" I asked with a faint smile. He laughed his booming laughter and I felt his arm around my shoulder.

"I don't mind."

* * *

><p><strong>This is a tiiiiiiiiiimmmmeee breeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeakk!<strong>

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><p>"What?" I asked into the phone in disbelief.<p>

"I need to tell Angela the truth. I really need your help." Jacob's deep voice begged on the other line. We hadn't really spoken since the bonfire/imprinting incident so getting a call from him was completely unexpected.

"Today?" I sighed. I could hear his smile through the phone.

"Yeah, down at first beach. An hour?" He asked so much that I could practically see the puppy dog eyes.

I groaned. I was supposed to finish this homework I missed from my skip day with Emmett yesterday.

"Sure, sure. See you then." An outfit change and an hour later, I was waiting at first beach, staring into the rolling ways.

Emmett's words still rang in my mind about a bond we could have. That can't just happen to everyone. I've always felt a connection to Emmett but it's never been anything this powerful.

Could it have changed?

Maybe it's more of a one-way-line. He probably became so dependent on me that he formed that bond to me. Vampires are capable of wondrous things, why not that?

And if I was connected to him as well, than why hadn't I felt his great pain like when Rosalie left him?

_Maybe he wasn't hurting._

Shut up you. He was in my house, on the verge of never-falling tears!

_But maybe he didn't love her like he used to. _

"Bella!" I turned around to see Angela waving at me. I smiled and waved back as she started to walk over. She was wearing tight skinny jeans and a gray sweater that hung off of her shoulders. She looked stunning.

"Wow, Angela. You look good." I noted once she was close enough. She blushed and looked down at herself.

"You think so? Will Jake like it?" I forced myself to not wince when she called him Jake. I know like everyone did…but I did too.

"He will love it! So are you ready for today?" I asked nervously. She sighed and stared out into the ocean.

"I've never felt this way about anyone before, Bella. My uncle used to always tell me that I would never find love because I looked like a boy until I was like fifteen. He left me alone eventually once he saw my chest come in, but his words scarred me for life. I was amazed that someone like Ben liked me…and now…someone like Jake who's compassionate and funny…" She trailed off and I smirked. She didn't need to explain Jacob's great personality.

It's what made me love him in the first place.

"But remember, you're not allowed to run for the hills screaming. It'll all seem unreal at first and probably, you're going to be scared, but Jacob is really self conscious about it. When I found out about it…he was convinced I hated him." Her eyes widened as she realized the severity of the situation. "But you also can't tell. It would ruin…everything." I mumbled. She nodded with determination.

"I've been giving myself pep talks all day. I'm ready."

"Angela!" we both turned to see Jacob jogging towards us. The tiny little 'Jacob drawer' I built in my heart shook a little when I realized he was only looking at Angela as though I didn't exist but I fought it down and smirked as they hugged. "You look stunning." He said with a goofy smile.

I looked back towards the ocean to give them their privacy when I felt two strong arms wrap around the top of my chest and squeeze tightly, cracking my back.

"Can't…breathe…" I gasped out. He loosened his grip but didn't let go and I think he realized I really wasn't ready to face him yet. He gave me a normal strengthed hug and his face was by my ear.

"Thank you for coming, Bells. I owe you." I winced at _Bells_ but then beat myself up inside for feeling that way.

Maybe it was because I was suddenly single and the boy who spent months trying to get me to love him is in love with another girl.

He let go and I turned, never really meeting Jacob's eyes.

"Angela…" Jacob started, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "There is a lot of things you may or may not know about the world." She nodded. "Do you remember those legends I told you?" HE asked suddenly. She thought for a moment before smiling.

"The one with the Cold Ones and the Protectors, right? Yeah I remember."

"Well the thing is…they aren't fairy tales. The legends are based of true events."

There was a long moment of only the waves crashing onto the sand.

"What? Like there are…wolf people?" She laughed at the thought.

"Yes. Although nowadays we tend to go by werewolves or shape-shifters." She was still chuckling but it died down as she realized how serious he was. She looked to me with wide eyes, as though begging for it not to be true but I nodded and smirked.

"….and you're…one of them?" She asked slowly. He took a deep breath but didn't speak.

I cleared my throat. "Yes, he is. And he's one of the fastest, strongest, and most noble of all of them." I threw in a wink at him for good measure.

"All of them?" She mimicked my words. "How many are there?" Her voice was getting higher.

"Everyone at the bonfire. They're my pack." She sat down right where she was on the sand and we shrugged and joined her as her mind seemed to be racing at the thoughts.

"I…don't…believe it." She said looking at her feet. Jacob's shoulder's slumped and I looked around. It was a pretty cruddy day. It was cold and there wasn't any one on the beach.

"Maybe you should just show her, Jacob." I offered and both of them stared at me with jaws dropped. "Come on." I said getting up and dragging her towards the tree line. Jacob grabbed Angela's face.

"Look into my eyes." He commanded and she did, without question. Then he walked into the forest and we waited.

"Tell me this all a joke." She whispered into my ear. I smirked and looked at her.

"You know…sometimes I wish it were." We looked forward at the sound of a branch cracking and I grabbed Angela's hand reassuringly. Her eyes went cartoon like big when we saw Jacob's big furry head into the sunlight.

"Quick! Bella, run!" She whispered to me but I shook my head and gestured towards the big wolf. She stared at me for a long moment before slowly turning to the wolf. Jacob was smart; he sat down on his hind legs and remained still so as not to frighten her.

I felt her grip on my hand loosen as she took a hesitant step forward.

Jacob remained still.

With a shaky hand she reached forward towards his pointed russet brown ears. Her fingers brushed his fur ever so gently and the wolf relaxed visibly, causing her to flinch backwards a little. She stared into his eyes for a long moment.

"Jake?" She whispered brokenly. His eyes twinkled and he pushed his head farther into her hand. She giggled and stroked his fur. "It is you…"

In true Jacob fashion, he parted his mouth slightly and his long tongue hung out the side as she petted him. He was giving her his famous goofy smile.

After a good ten minutes of questioning with Jacob once he changed back, she turned to me.

"But…does that mean…that Cold Ones are real?" She asked hesitantly. I blushed a little a nodded. "And it's the wolves job to rid the world of them, right?"

"Right!"

"No." We said at the same time. I glared at him and he rolled his eyes.

"It's a werewolves job, at least around here, to protect it's people from dangerous Vampires." Her eyes widened at the word and she shuddered.

Great. This wasn't going to go well. "But not all of them are." Suddenly it clicked

"You know Vampires, don't you?" She shrieked at me making my ears hurt. I sighed and rubbed my ears dramatically.

"Yes, Angela I do. Just as werewolves are real, so are vampires and it just so happens they're neighbors." She looked between Jacob and I a couple times.

"Bella…you're not…a…" I started laughing before she could finish.

"No!" She sighed in relief.

"That's good…but then who is?" She asked, although it seemed she new the answer.

"If you had to guess anyone in our school, who would it be?" I challenged her. She stared at me in shock.

"…. Edward?" I nodded. "The Cullens? All of them?" I sighed heavily and nodded.

"Oh my goodness, Bella! No wonder you canceled the wedding!" I pretended that didn't hurt and she seemed to catch her mistake. "I mean…if I found out I was dating…a Vampire…"

"Angela I've known who they are for quite some time now. Actually nearly the entire time I've met them." I said bluntly and she stared at me in absolute anger/shock.

"What? Bella! You could've been killed! Why would you date a Vampire? That's so dangerous!" I Swallowed back the anger in my throat but I couldn't contain myself enough.

"And it's so different that you're dating a werewolf?" Her jaw slammed shut at that and she looked away.

"The Cullens are good people. They don't kill humans. They drink off of animal blood. They took me in, cared for me, and treat me as family so don't you dare talk like that about them." Her eyes swelled with tears and Jacob glared at me. "Dating a werewolf is dangerous too." I noted and she looked at Jacob.

"There emotions are much more heightened then humans. They start to shake if they fill with rage or anger and if you're too close and you can't stop them…they could hurt you. Not that Jacob ever would. He has fantastic control." I added to calm her down.

She was quiet for a really long time.

"This is your secret?" She asked both of us. We both nodded. "You're a werewolf." He said to Jacob. He nodded and grinned sheepishly. She turned to me. "You used to be engaged to a vampire, that you knew what he was, and now you hang around with their family even still?" I nodded. "Shit…" I smiled. I never heard her curse before.

"I know this is a lot to handle right now. And I'm sure you want to talk to Jacob about a lot of things, but before I go let me just say this. We're each taking a huge risk in telling you this. If the Cullen's were found out…they'd have to leave without a trace and they would be on the next episode of America's most wanted in a heartbeat. If the pack were found out…I don't even know what would happen. They'd probably be tortured and taken in for DNA experiments. So you have you to swear on your life that these secrets stay with you to the grave." I said bluntly. She nodded a few times.

"Of…of course. Thank you both. For being….honest with me." I nodded and stood up.

"I'm leaving. It was nice to see you both again, and I hope we can talk soon Angela. I really need a human to talk about my supernatural problems." I said with a smile. She smiled back and I turned, not looking at Jacob and started to walk away. As I approached my car, I guess I wasn't too surprised to hear Jacob behind me.

"Bella…I'm sorry." I turned and looked up at him.

"For what?" I asked in almost monotone. A frown didn't suit his face.

"For everything. Especially this whole imprinting thing…if I had known this was going to happen…I wouldn't have…" His words stung and I looked into the truck, afraid. to meet his eyes.

"I get it, Jacob. Trust me. If you had known about her, you wouldn't have wasted all your time on me when Edward left." I finished his thought for him. He didn't speak and when I shifted my eyes to see him I could see he was shaking.

"You…think…I regret doing that?" He snarled. I felt my heartbeat spike and I reached out to touch his arm. He growled at me harshly, but his shaking lessened.

"I can see it in your eyes!" I fought with him. He took a deep breath to calm his shaking, but his hands were in tight fists that his knuckles were almost white.

"I don't regret being there for you when you needed me, Bella!" He shouted in my face. I felt my body shut down. I couldn't take being yelled at. "I regret spending months, hours, minutes, and seconds trying to get you to fall in love with me. You were all that I wanted, Bella! But you were so stubborn and you missed them all so fucking much! I used to take double patrols by your house so I would know that you were okay. But each time I could hear your nightmares! You screaming out for that bastard who cheated on you Bells! He _cheated_ on you! And you still treat them as your family! I only saw you, I only wanted you, I only loved you!" The tears were coming down my face then.

"Well don't worry about it anymore!" I shouted back at him suddenly. "You have Angela! You don't need me in your life anymore! So stop regretting your fucking wasted time on me!"

He growled again and slammed his fist onto my truck hood, adding another huge dent.

"I'm sorry!" He screamed at me. "I'm sorry that it worked!" There was a long tense moment.

"What?" I hissed at him.

"I could see it in your eyes at the bonfire, Bells! I can see it in your eyes _now!_ I knew I got you to fall in love with me, even if at the time you still thought you loved Edward! You were always so fucking stubborn! You love me Bella and I'm sorry that I did all this just to put you through so much pain!" I wiped away my tears uselessly.

He was right.

I did fall in love with him.

"I know…" He stopped and gazed over his shoulder, seeing Angela way back by the tree line of the beach, watching our confrontation. "I know that Angela wasn't my imprint, Bella." I Froze. "It was you. It was always…you. But that night…at the bonfire…I was going to tell you how I felt again, and this time beg you to give me a shot. But then I started thinking about if you said no and I never saw you again and how empty I would feel! I was so paranoid because I was so in love with you and I just wanted it to be easy on both of us. I happened to look up. There was a shooting star! I wished so much that we both had imprints so neither of us would be in pain that moment I walked up to the bonfire!" Tears trickled down his cheeks.

I tried to speak but nothing came out. "And it happened. The sick twisted fucking God's decided to grant _that_ wish and not all the others I had about you!" What was he saying? "She's not you, Bells. Yes, Angela is a beautiful woman. She's kind and sweet and almost just like you! She laughs at my horrible jokes and spends hours with me in the shed just talking as I work on cars, but she ain't you. I love you so much Bells…and it's like I'm learning to love her. It just isn't fair! I had you! If I had not made that stupid wish, you would be mine by now!" We were both crying now. "And now, this guilt I'm feeling won't go away until I see you find your equivalent of an imprint and even then! I'll be jealous and wishing for something that I can never change." I was shaking with sadness and guilt and anger.

We just stood there. Our tears hitting the sand so loud it echoed.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as I fumbled to find the door handle.

"Why?" He asked me in so much pain I almost crumpled.

"Because this is it." I choked out. "We're just going to keep killing each other if we act like everything's OK. And it's not! We both need time. You need to fall in love with Angela and never think of me. I need to get out of this fucking town, away from this fucking life." Tears fell like waterfalls. "Edward doesn't love me anymore. You can't love me anymore. I need to go out there and find somewhere that I belong!"

"Bella, no…" He tried but I shut him up.

"I'm not going to run away or anything. I'll finish school. Go to any college away from here and try and restart my life! So I'm sorry Jacob." I sat in the truck and slammed the door. "Sorry because I can't love you anymore." I said quietly, knowing he heard me. I slammed the car into drive and peeled away.

_Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it._

I chanted to myself but I still glanced in the rear view mirror, seeing Jacob standing there crushed and defeated. The road was blurry through my tears but I slammed my foot on the accelerator and sped off with a loud roar of the engine.

I guess I should've known my fucking luck would have my car break down just as I crossed the border back into Forks. I leaned over to the wheel and just cried like I never cried before.

Why did he have to point out that I did love him?

Why did he have to ruin everything!

Why did Edward cheat? Why did Emmett need me?

Emmett…Emmett…Emmett.

I screamed in my head, begging for this stupid mind connection to be real so he could find me and hold me.

I'm never going to belong anywhere. I don't belong as a human. I don't belong with vampires. I don't belong with werewolves. I don't even belong with my own family.

Suddenly fueled with rage I screamed and punched my steering wheel desperately before giving up and falling over to lie on the bench seats.

It's times like this I really wish this was all a joke…

Three rapping taps at my window made me flinch and I looked over at the driver's side window to see Emmett standing there, drenched in rain I didn't notice was falling. I sat up quickly and unlocked my door, flying out into the rain to clutch him to me.

"Bells…" He whispered into my neck. "What happened to you…" He begged. My tears mixed with the rain and anyone who saw this probably wouldn't even think I was crying.

Gotta love the rain sometimes.

"Emmett…" I whispered into his soaked chest. "You came." I stated as I slipped my numb fingers under his shirt so I could feel his skin as I hugged him. He was ice cold and it somehow soothed me as I squeezed his lower back.

"Of course I came, Bella." He said immediately in different voice. "I'm always going to be here for you." He promised quietly. He sounded as though he were crying although I knew it could never be true.

Although, maybe the rain served purpose to him too. For me, it hid my tears. For him, it was his tears. I hugged back tightly to the only place that I felt sure of. I was sure of Emmett. He was here. He was with me.

And so we stood there off the side of the road in the middle of probably the most violent thunderstorm I've seen in a long time hugging each other letting the rain be our true emotion.

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><p><strong>And scene! Holy guacamole! That was so much longer than I anticipated. O_o Anyway, it's good to be back and I hope you liked this chapter. Please remember to review! I don't write unless I read your feedback! I'll try not to let the next update come so late!<strong>

**Like how Emmett knew about Bella? And Carlisle's explanation of it?**

**Maybe you all could tell me why you think they have this bond ;) I left subtle clues within the chapter!**

**Didn't that Jacob and Bella scene just break your heart? It broke mine typing it. :'( **

**I actually really liked the ending, I don't know about you guys!**

**Rate&Review! **

**Ask me any questions and I'll try and answer them soon! Important ones I'll answer at the beginning of chapters so look for it!**

**Stay Vulnerable.**

**~Pepper!**


	8. Chapter 8 Emotion

**Holy Shit. Holy Shit. Holy Shit. You guys totally made my life with all the reviews I've received on my last update! Seriously! You guys had such well thought out reviews and such positive feedbacks. I'm really sorry for the delayed update, I'm sick. And it was the holidays. Blaaaa**

**PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE!**

**I love all of you! Okay so now I'll take a second to answer some reviews I thought everyone should understand.**

**A lot of you were really upset by Jacob and Bella's conversation, but after I re-read it, I decided this is definitely where I wanted this to go. I find it so hard to believe that having an Imprint would instantly make all other feelings disappear. I thought this was much more realistic. **

**Also, I already clarified this with the reviewer but Jacob's wish did NOT make Bella and Emmett imprint. Jacob being able to imprint was him, for what was the first time, asking for the chains he was locked in with Bella to be lifted and for them BOTH to be happy. Jacob's imprint with Angela won't be finalized until Bella finds true happiness with someone (Not that he'll ever realize that). If this story was going another way, Jacob and Bella would end up together, but alas, this is Emmett and Bella. I've been working on a Taylor Swift song fic 'Back to December' lately. It's almost done and it will be a two shot in the future just for my fans out there that think Jacob needs a little love. Emmett and Bella's connection, as I tried to explain last chapter, is their subconscious mind depending on each other to remain sane. Of course there are other reasons but they're secret for now. **

**And on my last point on Jacob, some were annoyed I'm giving them so much 'screen time' so to speak. The world population doesn't consist of only Emmett and Bella (sadly) so Bella still has to deal with normal non-Emmett stuff—like Jacob. **

**Next point! (: There were some…less than pleased readers who thought Edward and Rosalie should like never ever ever ever be aloud back. For a few reasons, I've decided against them being 'banished'. Firstly, Edward and Rosalie cause drama. And drama equals good writing. Hahaha, so that's sort of a reason there. Secondly, The life of a vampire is a solitary one. Even though Edward and Rosalie as mates could survive without seeing another person in this world happily, the venom pumping through their veins will instill them with emotion of guilt and longing for their creator and father—Carlisle. I'm thinking of some cool things I can do with venom, I think you'll enjoy them later ;) **

**WHEN Edward and Rosalie return, I'm hoping it will be a surprise! I've taken some dramatic turns and will probably stay with them! Also, the family IS going to forgive them—although I never said anything about liking them. Jasper for instance will forgive Edward, but will stay around Bella even more to both protect her and piss off Edward. **

**I really hope this helps explain things!**

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><p><strong>Bella POV<strong>

I wrapped my fingers around the hot mug, relishing in the way the warmth crept up my fingers to my arms. I couldn't find it within me to look up across the table yet, knowing that he'd have a million questions for me.

How could I even begin to answer?

I was such an idiot. Emmett must be going through so much and now he has to worry about me because I had a mental breakdown in the middle of a road. Ridiculous fear pumped through me with every heartbeat because I knew the second I looked into those golden honey eyes, I'd see so much judgment and disappointment.

"You know, back in my day, I loved coffee. But I think I actually drank it instead of just staring at it." His voice appeared so suddenly; I flinched and forced my head up slightly so I could look at his face. I knew somewhere deep inside of me that he was trying to be funny and lighten the mood but I couldn't feel anything. My insides felt hollow and my muscles felt forced. I knew if I even tried to smile I may just fall apart completely.

I opened my mouth to say something, but couldn't open it more than a tiny bit.

"Are you ready to order?" I could barely make out the voice. After I cried in the rain for God knows how long, Emmett picked me up and ran somewhere for a while before we ended up at a Denny's in some random town.

"Tell ya what, bud. I will give you one hundred dollars if you make sure no tables back here are filled and let us keep our privacy. I'll wave to you if we decide we're ready." He pulled out a hundred from his pocket and slipped it into the boy's apron. The smart boy nodded and scurried away.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and it felt like I used all of my energy to pull it from my pocket and throw it on the table. The movement, so small in any other standard, filled my fingers with throbbing pain and I covered my eyes, sobbing once.

"Hello?" Emmett's voice was so relaxing. "I'm sorry to make you worry, sir. I'm here with Bella now." A tiny light in my head registered that it had to be Charlie. I was out for a really long time. He must be so worried.

I couldn't find it in me to care.

I controlled my breathing and folded my hands on my lap, hunching my shoulders slightly, hoping I could maybe disappear from the world. I looked up at Emmett who was holding the phone to his ear, smirking slightly.

"No, Chief. I don't think that's such a good idea." There was a pause. "No, no, Chief. Don't blame him for any of this. She's just been going through a lot lately."

I sighed heavily, trying to ignore the ache in my chest and the coolness that filled my stomach. "I'll have her home soon, Chief. I promise." There was another word said before he flipped the phone shut and set it on the table and slid it towards me with one of his fingers.

"Bella? I need you to talk to me. You don't have to talk about anything that happened if you don't want to, but I need to hear you speak." Something in his voice crippled me. Was he begging? I didn't even know he could beg. His eyes were so gold now, the hints of those reddened spots a mere memory.

My mind unwillingly drifted back to the events of earlier today and I winced. I tried to think of anything but that.

How did Emmett know to come get me?

The thought seemed to echo in my mind for a while and I felt my head tilt slightly as I assessed Emmett's face. His neck was thick and he had a strong jaw. As my eyes searched his pale face I studied his cheekbones and perfectly angled nose. I skipped over his eyes, knowing that I'd be lost in them once again if I stopped there and looked at his short, dark, curly hair that had no surprise, dried perfectly even from being in the rain. Finally, my eyes locked with his and I felt paralyzed beneath the gaze. The interesting thing was, his gaze wasn't penetrating or demanding like the one I was so accustomed to, but filled with hope and possible a little despair if I had to take a guess.

I closed my eyes and took a breath, focusing on the way it spread throughout my body before parting my lips once more to try and utter a single work,

"Hi." My voice sounded foreign, as though I was hearing it for the first time so I quickly closed my mouth and opened my eyes. His golden ones were brighter than before, probably because of my pathetic attempt at talking.

I knew Emmett. Would he laugh at me? I wouldn't think so but he's always such a jokester that I honestly wouldn't be so surprised. I tried to shrug the thought away and braced myself for whatever may come from his mouth.

"Thank God." I hadn't realized I was looking away from him until the words left his mouth. My eyes focused back to reality and stared at him in shock.

"What?" I asked in sort of a hushed whisper.

"I was beginning to think you'd never talk to me." He admitted, almost a little bashful about the matter.

I wanted to speak again, to explain everything that happened. To talk about the things Jacob and I said to each other and the guilt I was filled with for feeling the way I did about it him. But I knew I would burst into tears if I tried to so despite the overbearing urge to bring it up, I was the one to change the subject,

"I'm hungry." My throat tingled from the use and I took more slow and deep breaths to calm myself down. His quiet chuckle sent soothing shivers down my spine.

"Well I don't know if our waiter will ever come back after the way I spoke to him." Emmett admitted with a sly grin. His smile, as always, was completely contagious and I couldn't fight back the small grin that formed. Figuring that I wasn't going to speak, he cleared his throat, unnecessarily might I add, and pushed his chair back slightly. "I'm going to go bring our friend here. You decide what you want to order." I nodded at him as he walked away and sighed into the menu. I was hungry that much I knew, but everything on the menu gave my mouth this unpleasant taste. I bit my lip hard as I scoured the pages, searching for something that my taste buds and stomach could handle and settled on a batch of homemade pirogues.

Emmett came back and a moment later, so did our waiter. I couldn't help but smirk when I saw his wobbly knees as he waited to take our orders. I swallowed the strange feeling in my throat and opened my mouth to speak.

"The home made pirogues, please." Adding the please at the end of my sentence filled my stomach with that same feeling that I've had since I saw Jacob's face in the rearview mirror. I've never had a problem with saying please at the end of my orders, but today, I just couldn't find it within me to care.

"Some water, please." Emmett said with a hard edge in his tone. Taking the signal well, the boy nodded and scampered off without another word. "Bella?" He asked softly. He stretched his huge arm over the table and his large fingers wrapped around my hand and pulled it slightly so our hands were interlocked in the center of the table. "Do you want to talk about it?" His words were so cautious, as though he knew that in any moment I was going to have a rampage and throw these stupid tables across the room and maybe break a dish or two.

"I do." I choked out, relishing in the way his strong hand felt around mine. His skin had this calloused edge to it, but was also the smoothest thing I've ever felt. There was no describing the way it made my heart swell.

_What are you thinking?_

My inner voice screamed at me and I couldn't help but ponder on the question. What was I doing? Two men just broke my heart, practically within the same week, and here I was, oogling the brother of my ex fiancé. There was something seriously wrong with me.

Yet, there was something pushing that thought away and I liked that. Emmett had been here for me when everything was going to shit. He was here even when his life was going to shit.

Was it possible for the connection to be real? Could he really sense when I was in danger or in severe pain? Is that how he knew to find me today? It could've been Alice who had a vision and sent Emmett to me, but even I didn't think he visions worked that fast, especially when the cause of my pain was the one known thin in this world to block her power.

So let's assume this connection between us was real, could I control it? If I called out his name in my head as much as possible would he hear? Could I be in crippling pain, unable to form a coherent thought and still have my shining knight come to my rescue? The thoughts were so confusing that I lifted my free hand and made tiny circles into my temple.

"I find it funny." His voice was like a rubber band being snapped into my face. I shook my head and looked at him. "Usually, when someone wants to talk about something, they do so aloud so the company can take part in it." This time, his attempt at lightening the mood worked and I smiled a little at him.

"Sorry. Confusing things." I gushed quickly.

He chuckled. "I do that sometimes. I get one thought in my head, and then I make a web of thoughts that connect to that one, and then I get a completely irrational thought that I spend useless time worrying about. It's sort of like a train wreck." I couldn't help the tiny giggle that escaped my lips, because that's exactly how it felt right now.

I was a train wreck.

The thought, for some bizarre reason, settled me down.

"I am a train wreck." I said with a smile. He grinned back and shook his head.

"IF that's what it takes to make you smile, then I'll call you that all the time." I giggled again and I saw his golden eyes light up and twinkle.

"How are you here?" I asked bluntly. His perfect shaped eyebrow arched at me.

"Well, I ran us here cause you're piece of junk truck decided to crap out." He shot back. My eyes narrowed.

"I mean, how did you know?" his face remained unreadable.

"I'm amazing, remember?" He reminded me, making me smirk. The waiter came back and placed the food and water on the table before scampering away. I sipped the water, but didn't let my eyes leave his. He sighed and sat back. "I told you about Carlisle's theories."

I nodded. The thought of a connection like that was still foreign to me.

"I was playing with Xbox with Jasper when I started to feel sick to my stomach. It was the usual twist I got whenever I smelled something rancid. I was already a little ansty because Alice saw you go to La Push so I decided to go for a jog." As he spoke I picked at my food, taking tiny nibbles of the food and sips of the water. He leaned forward and placed his free hand over top our intertwined ones, his cold skin soothing everything.

"Suddenly, I couldn't breathe and it felt as though I was being ripped apart from my insides out." I shuddered because that's exactly how I felt when I told him that we were done. "It took me a while to move, because my body felt as though there were cement buildings inside of my legs." I bit my lip. "But, I could feel you. It was as though you were inches in front of me, reaching out to me, screaming my name before disappearing so quickly, I couldn't even be sure if it was really happening. I started sprinting, faster than I have in a while. I didn't think, I just knew where you were and then I found you."

Could it all be really true? Could _this_ be real?

"I don't…" I trailed off. What could I say here?

"Bella, I know it's a lot to handle but I'm glad it happened. You don't deserve to cry all alone in a truck." I winced from his words, remembering the pain that caused me to get to that point in the first place. "Do you want to tell me what happened now?" He offered once I took another sip of water. I bit my lip, hard, but nodded.

"Jacob had called me." At the mention of his name, Emmett visibly stiffened. They still didn't like me hanging with werewolves. "He wanted me to be there when he told Angela, his imprint, about the whole mythical world. At first, I didn't see a problem with it. But when we got there, and I saw him, and I saw how he acted with both me and her it was just becoming too much." I took a deep breath.

I could do this. Emmett was here; I could do anything with him here.

"By the time we finished explaining everything, it was more than I could handle so I excused myself and left. I had made it to my truck when he caught up to me. The tension between us was so thick you could seriously see it in the air. I was trying to get away but eventually I said something about him regretting helping me when you guys left and he _freaked_ out. I literally thought he was going to transform in front of me. Then he started apologizing because all those months of tryning to get me to fall in love with him worked."

I was getting choked up so Emmett gave my hand a tug. I stood and sat next to him on the booth. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and held me close to him. He smoothed my hair down gently. "And it did work, Emmett." I sobbed quietly into his chest, knowing he would hear me. "I did love him and then he went and ruined it. He wished for his ties with me to be broken and they did, leading him to Angela. I told him that it was done. We were killing each other and I couldn't let me do that to him anymore so I let him go. I made the stupid mistake of looking in the mirror when I pulled away and that's what sent me over the edge. That look of despair. That look…of emptiness." I sniffed. "I'm such a bad person."

Silent during my entire rant, Emmett shifted underneath me and I felt his cold finger under my wet chin. He moved it up slightly and I stared at him through my blurry, burning eyes.

"You are _not_ a bad person, Bella." He spoke each word calm and clear. I sniffed and tried to calm down, but the tears still fell. He wiped them away with the back of his knuckles and left his hand on my cheek.

I opened my mouth to argue but he shushed me. "No, you're not arguing this one, Bells. I can't stand to see you like this. So listen to me. You are not a bad person. A bad person wouldn't have done a fraction of the wonderful things you've done for this world." I rolled my eyes.

"Right, because causing pain is so admirable." I mumbled. He cracked a smile but kept his hand pressed on my hot cheek.

"Shut up." I glared at him. "You always sell yourself short, and I hate it. Would a bad person keep a secret as huge as mythical creatures coexisting with humans? Could bad people give up their own happiness as many times as you have? Could someone who didn't have anything to gain by helping a murderous vampire bring them back from desolate hell?" As he spoke, my insides twisted slightly, but in a better way then they have been lately.

I've done all those things.

"Emmett?" I croaked out in a raspy voice.

"Yes, Bells?" The nickname flowed from his lips like the finest champagne.

"Thank you for coming today." I said honestly, smiling up at him. He smiled that dimple filled smile that sent another twist through my stomach. His smile had to be heaven on earth, and that's what everyone was looking for.

"Don't mention it, Bells. I'm always going to be here for you, don't even forget that. I think I'm kind of stuck with you." He teased, but with some underlying meaning.

"I don't care. If anyone was going to be stuck with me, I'm glad it's you." I giggled, my eyes still sore from crying.

I looked past him out the window into the dark night.

"Emmett?" I piped up as I rested on my head on his chest so I could still look outside.

"Yes?" His cool fingers began rubbing up and down my arm again.

"Do you believe in fate?" Jacob imprinting Angela, and apparently so unwillingly, had be thinking so much lately about things in life one can't control. Jacob shouldn't be fighting his imprint because of his feelings for me, but then again, if like was fair, wouldn't we have just been together?

Emmett's calming motions on my arm stopped for the briefest of seconds before continuing and after what could have been an eternity, he exhaled unnecessarily and began to talk.

"Sometimes." Came his honest reply. "Sometimes, when I hate this life more than I can hate anything, I wonder why a higher power would do this to anyone. If there truly is fate, then what did I do to deserve this or why was I chosen?" I snuggled closer into his chest as he talked, liking the way his chest raised and fell with every word. Something about his presence was calming to my battered and bruised heart.

"But other times…" He continued. "Something happens that makes this whole existence worthwhile and I think that I'm supposed to be here. Like, when I met Jasper, I was given this whole new brother that I actually connected with and it was awesome." I smiled into his shirt. "Even after I do something that makes me want to end it all right then and there…_something_ good happens." I shuddered at his words because I hated that he thought about killing himself during his dark time. "Like you." It took a moment for the words to set in, but once they did, I pulled away from him so I could look into his golden eyes.

"What?" I asked dumbly. He smirked and brushed some of the hair from my face.

"Yes, you, Bella." He chuckled and continued to brush the hair form my face. "I honestly don't know where I'd be without you. I think you were God-sent to me. Or, at the least, it was fate that we met you." My breath caught in my throat and I felt frozen.

"Really?" I asked in awe. His large cool hands were suddenly cradling my face. I felt the tears prickling my eyes, yet for a completely different reason than when he had found me. Someone still cared about me. Even with Edward cheating on me and Jacob falling in…imprint with someone else, someone still cared about me.

Someone out there in this shit crazy world wanted me here.

I opened my mouth to speak, but his thumb rubbed over my lips to stop me.

"Bells, I am so thankful that I met you. I could die tomorrow, and die happy, because I knew what it was like to look into your eyes."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the moment Emmett McCarty Cullen made me swoon.

So much had been going on lately that I hadn't been focusing on Emmett's dashing good looks and yet, in an instant, I was suddenly hyper aware of his every touch and move.

What was wrong with me?

Emmett and I were nothing more than two souls bound together by our needs, nothing more…right?

I shook my head and shrugged out of his touch.

No, I wouldn't go through it again. I wouldn't untie the strings of my chipping heart one final time for another mythical creature to ruin and torture it.

I will never, ever, allow myself to be that vulnerable to someone again. I don't think my mind could handle another complete and utter breakdown. Edward was my physical breakdown. Jacob was my mental one. What was the left to be shattered?

But Emmett…

I sighed out loud.

I nearly fell out of the booth in surprise when I felt his cool lips gently brush my forehead.

He laugh and used his hands to steady me by holding my waist.

"Calm down, Bells." He smiled at me and, unable to fight that contagious smile, I grinned back at him, all thoughts of my previous mental freak out vanishing.

"Can we leave?" I choked out suddenly. It was suddenly feeling very hot and tight in this restaurant.

He laughed. "Sure."

As we passed the awkward waiter who had waited on us, Emmett placed an extra two hundred dollars in front of him.

"Have a good night, sir." Emmett was always so respectable to people.

"Y-You too. Both of you." Emmett wrapped an arm around my waist as we walked into the cold night and kissed my temple, warming my insides.

"Emmett, thank you…for…everything." I couldn't even begin to put into words how grateful I was that he had found me and brought me away to just let me be dumb old me.

"Of course, Bells." He assured me as we got in the car and began the drive home.

The ride was peacefully quiet and by the time we pulled up in front of the house, I had finally gotten tired.

"I hear Charlie snoring on the couch. He must have been waiting for you." Emmett said as he threw the jeep into park. I sighed.

"He's such a good father." I mused aloud.

"Yes, he is. Now I need to know you're going to be okay tonight." I turned to him, but he was gone. A moment later he was opening my car door, causing me to jump. He laughed. "Jeeze, Bells. You would think that being around all these supernatural weirdos would make you more relaxed about the whole, super speed thing." I rolled my eyes at him and went to storm out of the jeep.

Of course, I'm not the most graceful person in the world.

My foot caught on the doorway and I flew forward, my hands flailing like an idiot. I winced as the lovely pavement quickly rose to my face and braced myself for impact.

Luckily, it never came.

Emmett's familiar strong arms wrapped around my waist just as I was about to hit the ground and held me there. I let out a huge sigh in relief and Emmett gently laid me on the ground. I rolled onto my back, actually liking the way the damp grass felt on my back.

I looked up at Emmett, who's legs we're on either side of mine, towering over me and smiled.

Emmett was beautiful in the dark barely dim light. The orange glow from the porch light hit his features so perfectly, that I was momentarily mesmerized.

I lifted my hand, and he eagerly took it, probably ready to hoist me up. But instead, I gave a little tug and looked him straight in the eye, hoping he'd get my message.

After a long second he did and, with that dimple wicked smile, plopped down onto the grass next to me and stared up and the slightly cloudy sky. If you stared long enough, you could actually make out some stars past the clouds.

"This is relaxing." I said honestly. "It helps to clear my mind."

"That's good." Emmett said dreamily. There was a long, comfortable pause. "Do you think you'll miss them?" He asked.

"Who?" My response was dumb, for I knew exactly who he meant.

"Edward and Jacob."

Hearing their names, surprisingly, didn't send ripples of pain through my stomach like they have been. Emmett suddenly rolled away from me, looking as though to reach for something, and my insides ripped apart.

Well, not literally. But the pain was so unbearable, I whimpered.

The second, and I do mean the second, that Emmett rolled back to look at me, it dulled. I stared at him for a really long moment.

"Of course I'll miss them. Edward was my first love. Jacob was my best friend. But, I know I need to move on somehow, no matter how hard that will be. I don't want to be in pain anymore. I honestly hate it." My words came out almost robotically since I was thinking about what just happened.

My heart throbbed once from the hurt of my words and I frowned.

"I get that. I think I'll always miss Rosalie. Not the bitch Rosalie, of course, just the one who found me and saved my life." I nodded and my heart throbbed once more for him and his pain.

Suddenly, a rush of anger hit me. I was so sick of letting these people dominate mine and Emmett's feelings. They didn't deserve to have us mourn for them. Just like they didn't deserve us in the first place.

With a rush of confidence, I slipped my hand into Emmett's and the strangest thing happened.

Everything stopped.

Well, stopped wasn't the right word. It was more like, my feelings of hurt and guilt—which I had been feeling so much lately I was damn near numb to it—vanished. Emmett and I looked at each other at the same time, then to our interlocked hands.

"Did you…feel that?" He asked in confusion. He was so cute when he was confused. I nodded. As a test, I let go of our hands and like a freight train hitting me, all those terrible emotions came rushing back to me, making me choke in agony. Emmett's cold hand locked with mine once more and I was left with feeling of contentment. It wasn't as though I was dumb to feeling, but as though nothing else mattered but the fact that our hands were interlocked.

"Woah." I mumbled dumbly. I looked at Emmett's pensive face as his eyes gazed through me and far away to a time long forgotten I assume. I frowned and felt sorrow when I thought of Emmett's past life. I wonder how any of his family fared.

"Why are you upset?" He asked me suddenly, making me blink in confusion.

Let's say this whole 'connection thing' is actually true. The one thing I've learned so far is he can sense when I'm in severe danger or pain. This emotion I was feeling was only a small one, something that I think of frequently actually, yet now he knows what I am feeling.

I bit my lip and didn't answer. Maybe, like Jasper, he can feel my feelings. But if that's the case, why hasn't this happened before? I decided to test this strange theory and chose what emotion to send to him.

I decided on happiness, a simple emotion, one that I could tap into easily. Without making it too obvious, I thought of the time my mother and I went to pet sting rays in an aquarium a couple years ago. It was one of the first times that I saw my mother truly take an interest in what I liked, which at the time, were fish. We spent the whole day looking at sharks, dolphins, sting rays, and star fish and we got ice cream after.

"Why are you so happy?" He asked with a smile on his face, as though he himself had been reminded of a happier time.

"How do you know what I'm feeling?" I asked as I scooted a little closer to him.

He opened his mouth to answer, with that cocky look that he always wore when he was going to tease me, but stopped, obviously struck by my question. I dropped his hand and ignored the rush of horrible feelings that hit me.

I focused on another emotion common to me: embarrassment. There were many to chose from, but I picked one where Mike Newton was walking with me to my truck and when we got there, I tripped and fell right into him, knocking us both on the ground. When I looked up at him, he had this really strange look on his face and I realized that I had fallen right on his…manhood and was currently trying to wiggle myself up.

Most. Horrific. Moment. Ever.

"What am I feeling?" I asked him, holding on tightly to the horrible memory.

"I…I don't know for sure.' He admitted slowly. I nodded then took back his hand, which made it much easier to hold on to the memory since the bad ones melted away.

"You're embarrassed." He claimed instantly and we stopped and stared at each other. "How is this possible?" He asked, although he realized that it had to do with our interlocked hands.

"This is so strange. What if I don't want you to feel my emotions?" I pouted and just like that, that feeling was gone and I knew he couldn't. "No, no. I want it back, I want that back." I said quickly and then it was back again. I shook my head, astounded at this strange ability.

"Can I try?" He asked with childish mischief in his eyes. I nodded and waited. Suddenly my insides felt warm, like that first sip of hot chocolate on a freezing day or the first chocolate chip cookie to come out of the oven. I smiled a little and instantly, I knew the feeling.

"Gratefulness." I said aloud, smiling at it.

"Wow." He was amazed, that was clear with or without freaky skin magic. "This is so cool! Although, nothing beats this." I was confused until suddenly he was over me, tickling my sides making me laugh and try to uselessly fight him off. My squirming managed to put me in the position right under him, his knees on either side of me. Finally, he stopped when he noticed I was seriously having trouble with air. At this point in time, his hands were on either side of neck and our laughter slowed once I think we both realized the predicament we were in.

I shifted slightly under his golden stare and noticed that his thumb was just barely brushing my shoulder, making us in tune.

My stomach clenched as a feeling of…urge came into me. I'd never felt something like this and although it was kind of terrifying, I wanted more of it.

My breath picked up slightly when I noticed just how close our faces were. His eyes were searching mind desperately as I looked between those honey gold orbs and his soft looking lips.

Didn't I tell myself no less than an hour ago that I wasn't going to do this to myself?

Another urge feeling rippled through my and my body clenched slightly. I couldn't tell if Emmett was doing this on purpose or if this was truly his feelings. He sighed suddenly and pulled away, making me _almost_ whimper in protest.

I guess he didn't want me.

"Your Dad is waking up." He sounded angry and annoyed and I smiled in relief. Maybe he did want me after all.

Like a mental slap to the face, I was suddenly reminded of my promise not to let this happen again and cussed internally.

"So, if I wanted to try something, would you trust me?" He asked as we started walking to the door. I stared at him in confusion and shrugged with a nod. After all the shit we figured out with each other, I think I had to trust him. "Cool. I'll be in your room then." I spazzed out a little and looked at him in confusion.

"What?"

He laughed and leaned down to kiss my cheek, a million feelings rippling through me the second he did. He pulled away, opened the door, pushed me in, and left with a smile.

I was in shock for a good two minutes or so before I finally walked over to the couch where Charlie's snoring had stopped, meaning he was close to waking up. I shook his shoulder a little. "Dad? You shouldn't be sleeping on the couch, it isn't good for your back." He woke with a start and sat up, stretching his old bones, me wincing when they popped loudly. "I'm really sorry I was out so late." I said honestly as I noticed the clock read one in the morning.

"It's fine Bells. I trust you with Emmett." I smirked, cause after what almost happened on the lawn, I don't think he should. "How are you?" Charlie was never one for feelings. But as he stood and looked at me, his crinkled eyes tired and worried, I knew I had to be honest.

"I'll get by." I told him honestly. He grinned.

"So I don't need to get a Swat team out on Jacob?" He asked. I actually found it within me to giggle.

"No, Dad. It's not his fault."

There was a long pause. "I'm exhausted, I'm heading up."

"Sure thing, Bella." He followed me up the stairs and once we reached the top, I couldn't contain myself. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him. It took a minute, but he held me to him tightly.

"Thank you for waiting up, Dad. It means a lot." I mumbled into his shirt.

"Anytime."

We said goodnight and parted ways. I went to bathroom to brush my teeth, then walked into my room, no surprise, finding Emmett laying on the bed, tossing a tennis ball up in the air and catching it. I shut the door completely before walking over and sitting on my bed.

"Your Dad really cares about you." He noted. I smirked.

"Yes he does." Emmett smiled. "Alright, scoot over. I'm exhausted." That devilish smirk came back as he moved over so I could throw myself under the covers, relishing the way the bed felt around me.

Emmett crawled under my blanket as well and we stared at each other.

My eyes drifted shut and I felt Emmett move slightly. He found my hand under the blanket and I was filled with peacefulness. His hand moved slightly and I was hyperaware of his presence.

I knew I wasn't going to sleep just yet.

I opened my tired eyes and saw him staring at me intently, as though waiting for something. His hand moved up to my neck and my heart jumped a few times. I swallowed hard as his hand moved ot my face, where my breathing broke out into tiny pants.

What the hell was happening?

"What are you doing?" I asked in a shaky voice as his hand moved back to my neck.

"I'm not sure. I'm just…learning the way you feel I guess." In that second, I was amazed at how wonderful Emmett was as a person. I scooted closer to him till our knees were touching. It wasn't the most scandalous thing, I know, but it was something. His head moved closer to me and his hand pushed my shoulder gently so I could roll onto my back. "I don't like that you're in pain, Bells." He whispered gently. My eyes fluttered shut as his cool breath tickled my ear.

"Me neither." I choked out.

"You trust me, right?" He asked. I opened my eyes and found his face inches from mine.

"Yes." Was my immediate and truthful answer. My insides turned at the anticipation of what he was planning. I watched as he lowered his face so our lips were a feather away from each other. Our noses touched and I was in tuned with his emotions again, but this time stronger. I could feel _his _anticipation and his worry and his confusion and his happiness and his urge and his lust and his…well everything. I could feel him trying to fight the other emotion downs, and I was suddenly lifted with positive energy. The pain of everything was gone and the only thing I could focus on, was happiness.

Well, actually, if someone could read my mind it'd look a lot like this.

EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet EmmettEmmet

It was true, all I could focus on was the way Emmett's breath was tickling my face, the way his hands caressed my neck, the way half of his body pressed to mine, the way his eyes looked into my soul.

Emmett slowly pried each of his fingers away one at a time, as though being very cautious.

"Hold on to it." He ordered and, like the obedient puppy dog I am, I relished in the feeling of happiness. When all his fingers were off my neck, Emmett slowly pulled away so our noses weren't touching anymore. I fought to hold on to that feelings when all the others came flying back to me and after some very long minutes, I let out a huge breath.

"Thank you." I said with a huge smile, wrapping my arms around his neck and clutching him to me.

Whatever he did, had worked. I felt so uplifted that the bad feelings were easily overcome. They were still there, I was sure they always would be, but experiencing that positive energy was almost addicting and I had to hold onto it. Emmett wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to him, causing every inch of us to be touching.

Every. Inch.

"You know, I kinda wanted to kiss you before." He whispered into my neck, sending shivers down my spine. Leave it to Emmett to be completely blunt and open about the whole thing. I bit my lip and squeezed him a little harder, unsure of what to say.

"I think I am going to kiss you." He decided suddenly. He pulled away from me, grabbed my face, and before I could process what was happening, he kissed me.

On the cheek.

I must have been blushing furiously cause he chuckled. "Silly, silly, Bella. If you think I'm going to kiss you the day you have your heart broken…again, then you don't know me at all. Now, go to sleep." He rolled me over onto my side before pulling me back against him into a spooning position. I opened my mouth to speak but was at a loss for words.

Emmett's huge arm around my waist made it impossible to break free, despite my attempts.

"I would stop moving against me if I were you, Bellsy." I blushed from the underlying meaning and just gave up, liking the feeling of his arms around me a lot more than I should.

I decided not to care for the rest of tonight.

Edward and Jacob weren't here.

Emmett was.

That was all that mattered.

So, as my eyes closed and my mind began to wander to a place of dreams, I couldn't help but to hope that Jacob and Angela work everything out and become happy with each other.

I would say the same for Edward, however, Rosalie is a psychotic bitch. I giggled aloud.

"What are you thinking of? Besides me of course." I smiled and snuggled against his huge chest.

"Well, apart from you, the fact that Rosalie is a psychotic bitch."

"Amen." Came his reply.

Laughing at him was the last thing I remember before sleep overcame me.

**Normal POV**

Emmett could not be happier as he held the frail girl as she drifted to sleep. This day had been so exhausting to him, and he was a vampire, so he couldn't imagine how weak she must have felt. Emmett knew in the morning he'd have to tell Carlisle all the extraordinary things he and Bells discovered that day.

Being able to feel each other's emotions?

It made absolutely no sense.

Somewhere deep inside of him, he could still _feel_ that little girl he had killed. It happened a lot lately. Maybe he was getting over it finally, or maybe it was his killer instinct trying to make him feel guilty again. Either way, Emmett decided he wanted to go to the grave to pay his respects.

"Met…" The girl mumbled in his arms. His eyebrows scrunched together as he thought of who she 'met' during their day, as she usually dreamt about a day's events.

Ahh, to dream. What a wondrous place that must be. Emmett had not dreamt in so very long.

Emmett wondered briefly how his family held up in his absence, as he often did. Maybe he would take a trip to Tennessee to see the family now. Could they be vampires? Well, of course they _could_ be. It was highly unlikely though.

His girl shifted in his arms again.

He decided, he'd only go if Bella went with him. In fact, they should make it a road trip.

"Emmett…" Came her, slightly moaning, voice.

Ohh, so she hadn't 'met' anybody. She was just dreaming of him. The thought plastered a smile on his face that he never wanted to take off. A few soft moans came from her and, unable to control himself, he leaned forward and left a few feather kisses on her skin, making her shift even more.

He had wanted so badly to kiss her today.

One day, he would. If he and Bella were connected, then he couldn't help but to imagine what it would be like to kiss her.

He's wanted to kiss her for a long time now, but like always, Emmett enjoyed the 'hunt' so to speak.

Meanwhile, as Emmett plotted about his plan to 'woo' Bella's broken heart, a more sinister force crawled outside the Swan residence.

With eyes like the richest of rubies, the force gazed into the room with anger. What would she do now? Without missing a beat, she sprinted into the forest and away from the sight. She hadn't believed it.

She ran for what could have been forever, her tattered dress flowing behind her, before she caught on to a scent she hadn't experienced in a while. She sprinted after the scent, desperate to finally have her revenge. She heard his teasing, about never being able to catch him, and ran somehow faster. She chased him for a very long time. Just as she thought she had caught up to him, a hand was around her neck and she was thrown up against a tree. Petrified, she couldn't find it within her to move, as his red eyes moved closer.

This was him, the man who ruined everything for her, yet she couldn't find the words.

He moved closer, pinning her arms above her head and slamming his lips against hers. Her eyes rolled at the extreme pleasure she felt from his taste.

There was fresh human blood on his lips, which made it even better. Before she could react, she was thrown on the floor and skidded over the gravel. She went to get up, but found him sitting on her waist, holding her hands beside her face. She looked up at him, seeing a dark hunger.

"What are you doing?" She managed to ask as he held both hands in one and started running his hand over her tight lean body. He didn't answer, but instead kissed her, a little softer than before.

She hadn't felt this way since…

Unable to resist the once lost feeling, she kissed him back, letting him plunge his sharp tongue into her mouth.

He was dominating.

She didn't think he had it in him.

He growled suddenly, lifted her in the air, and slammed her against another tree, forcing her to spread her legs and wrap them around his waist. He ground himself against her pelvis and she let out an animalistic yelp. He kissed from her neck up to her ear where he nibbled, making her moan.

"I have a favor to ask of you." He whispered into her ear, grinding himself once more onto her.

She was in a daze, completely relishing in the feelings he was giving her.

"What do you say…" He trailed off, biting her ear. "…Victoria."

Her firey red head rolled back in ecstasy and she knew he had her.

She would do anything.

For him.

* * *

><p><strong>Woaaaahhh! Sorry, really am, about the delay. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! Or Sunday depending on what you celebrate! And I hope everyone is looking forward for the New Year! I'm excited actually!<strong>

**So, I know the whole 'emotion' thing is kinda strange, but I think I like it so far. But hey, if you hate it, let me know and I won't expand on it! :D**

**I'm making a schedule for myself to do my stories this way no one gets spoiled ;)**

**How many of you knew it was Victoria there at the end?**

**I say that was a nice little not-so-cliffy cliffhanger, don't you think?**

**So this chapter was really Fruity and I know not a lot happened but dialogue, but this chapter _had_ to be in there for the next one. Plus, I needed to get my Emmett lovers back with me!**

**Anywho, if you liked it, or absolutely hate me for posting such a disgrace for a chapter, REVIEW and let me know! I'll answer any questions I can! I'll try and get my next update out quicker! Sorry again!**

**Also, I'll be posting the first chapter of my JacobXBella Two-Shot Back To December sometime this week. I hope you all go read it, because it has some really dark Edward talk in it. Seriously, it freaked me out and I wrote it! Anyway, check out my other stories, I'm trying to update as much as I can!**

**Review anything! Seriously! Anything!**

**~Pepper**


	9. Chapter 9 Questions

**Hiya friends! So, I don't mean to sound all annoying and stuff, but I didn't get a lot of feedback from my last chapter. Seriously, if it wasn't for the people who did review, I probably never would have had motivation to write this.**

**To the people who did review: THANK YOU. All of them were so detailed, and really made me feel great about this story. I even got someone who just reviewed a smiley face and that was better!**

**Oh, one of you managed to catch on with the whole Victoria scene, so congrats to you. I know it seems kinda out of character for her to just give in like that, but she was pretending that this mystery guy was James. She hadn't felt that way since James, and whoever this is managed to manipulate that. Oh, and you guys do remember that this is a rated M story right? So little bursts of inappropriateness like that is okay?**

**Just checking.**

**Before you all get your hopes up, not a lot of drama goes down in this chapter until the very end. Most of it, sorry, is dialogue. But, I promise, once you get to the end, you;ll be itching in your socks wanting the next one. I guess it's just one of those endings where you know lots of shit is gonna go down next chapter.**

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><p><strong>This chapter is for Grumper29, who is the reason I managed to write this!<strong>

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><p><strong>Angela POV (Surprise!)<strong>

I held Bella's Math book in my hand nervously as I leaned against her rusted old truck. She had been in such a rush to get out of class, she must not have noticed it lying on the table. Or maybe she did, and decided to give up on Math like all the times she threatened she would. I couldn't help but to smile at the thought.

Maybe it makes me sound a little pathetic, but Bella is the closest thing I have to a best friend. Never before in my life had I met someone as kind and understanding as her, it's no wonder Jacob was in love with her. At the thought of Jake, my stomach fluttered nervously and I blushed even though no one was really looking at me.

I never met anyone like Jacob Black before, either. He was so strong and honest, but also warm and loyal. It still blows my mind every once in a while when I think of the mythological world that has come to exist in the past few days.

First, my boyfriend turns out to be a werewolf.

Then, my best friend turns out to be a vampire-lover.

I really should evaluate the company I keep. Jacob and the rest of the pack have been so supportive and understanding of my concerns. The last bonfire we had turned into this giant Question & Answer session and I think I was finally grasping the whole situation. I heard them before I saw them.

I looked towards the school where Bella was walking with Alice, laughing so hard I thought I saw tears in her eyes. I smiled because I couldn't remember the last time she was like that. After Edward left her again, I was so terrified that she would relapse into that state of mind.

It scared me senseless.

I haven't told Jacob yet, but I have anorexia. I've been managing to hide it pretty well the last few weeks, but I know better than to believe it gone. One time, I was convinced I conquered it. Then, my grandmother came to dinner, and wouldn't stop with the 'Freaky girl' comments and 'crazy' issues. It sent me into my worst relapse yet, but I've managed to bounce back.

I stared at Alice Cullen, still in shock about their vampire-ism. It all makes sense thinking about it now, of course with their strange beauty, perfect features, insane smarts, and endless supply of money. The thought of them drinking blood send a small shudder down my spine, but I forced myself not to be biased. Bella had been right when she warned me about how dangerous werewolves can be as well when I found out about Sam and Emily, but I couldn't help but be worried for her.

Should she be hanging around them so much?

Jogging out of the school behind them became the dazzling Jasper Hale and the gorgeous Emmett Cullen, throwing small snacks perhaps at each other with perfect aim. His booming laughter could be heard even by her truck.

I'm surprised Bella saw me first, and not Alice (Who could see the future).

Her steps faltered slightly, and some look I didn't understand passed over her features before she managed to hide it. I knew why she had been so distant lately. Jacob had told me that they got into a horrible fight that day at the beach, and I couldn't help but to feel guilty.

Sure, when I was with Jacob, nothing else existed in the world. The world could collapse tomorrow, and I wouldn't care so long as I had him holding me. But, when I saw them together. They way they acted was so…familiar I suppose. They were so in-tuned with each other's movements, and anyone else looking at them would assume they were soul mates. No matter how many times Jacob tried to convince me that there was nothing left between them, I could still see it. I even found out about this thing called Imprinting, which did actually make me feel better about having him.

Maybe it's because I've always been an outcast, but knowing that Jacob and I were tied together made me feel like something in this crazy world, actually belonged to me. I snapped myself from my inner thoughts to see Emmett stop his fight and jog up to Bella, slipping his hand in hers.

For a second, the whole world seemed to swirl around them. They stared at each other for a long moment, saying no words but understanding whatever was happening, and let each other go. He whispered something to her, left a short kiss on her forehead, then went to his giant jeep and drove off.

"Hey, Angela." Her voice actually sounded lighter then the tone I was expecting.

"You, um, left your math book in Trig. I wasn't sure if you left it on purpose for me to burn, or just forgot it." My attempt at a joke worked, and she laughed as she threw her backpack in the bed of the truck.

"I hate Trig." She muttered. "But thank you. I would have been doomed for the test tomorrow without it." She took the book and tossed it in the bed, not seeming to care if it landed incorrectly. I smiled and pulled at my shirt a little awkwardly; straightening out the buttons on the sleeve. "I'm sorry I haven't really been around lately." Her apology completely took me off guard. I met her eyes and saw the sincerity in them.

Before I could speak, and to my complete surprise, Alice Cullen came running over, a lot faster than I thought someone of her size should have been able to, and stood next to me. I quickly noted that not many people were here at the school, so they were probably just letting loose.

"What are you doing, Alice?" Bella asked with a smile. I felt really tall next to her pixie like form.

"Jasper threatened to throw worms in my hair." She pouted and her golden honey eyes sparkled.

"You're afraid of worms?" I asked dumbly. Both of them laughed a little.

"Only when it's a whole bunch of them in wet dirt." She cringed a little. I was in complete awe. She looked up at me and put her hands on her hips. "What, a vampire can't be afraid of worms?" Hearing her say the world almost made me pass out, but for some reason, I found it within me to laugh.

"I just…never would have suspected it. That's all." Bella came to my rescue and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"She's more afraid of the dirt getting on her designer clothes." The three of us laughed and I watched as Jasper came striding over to us, thumbs in his pocket, and gold hair shimmering.

"Hello, Angela." He greeted in his, yes I admit it, dreamy voice. I blinked once.

"Hi, Jasper." He smiled, almost apologetically, as though he knew how confused and awkward I felt.

"Alice, will you please come here? I won't throw worms on you." He asked, his golden eyes opening wide and pleading.

Whew, that is one good case of 'Puppy Dog Eyes'.

"Promise?" Alice asked in a timid voice. She took a step to go around me to meet him.

He made an X over his nonbeating heart, just like they do in the movie 'Up'. "I promise." In a flash she was suddenly there in his arms, her eyes drifting shut in the comfort. I was amazed at just how…human they were acting. Sure, I'd seen the Cullen's laugh in public, but the fact that they are vampires just makes it hard to believe they do anything but suck blood.

I looked over to Bella, who had pulled down the end of the bed, and sat herself in it, she tapped a space next to her on the blanket so I crawled up and sat down next to her.

"Miss Bella, I'm going to go with Alice to do some grocery shopping for tonight. I'll tell Esme seven?" He asked in a hint of a southern drawl I never noticed before. I was so…interested in the way they acted.

"That sounds great, thanks Jasper." Alice and Jasper walked towards a silver motorcycle hand-in-hand. Once they rode off, I turned to Bella.

"They're really cute together." I noted. She smiled.

"Yeah, aren't they? Jasper keeps her in check and Alice keeps him under control. They're soul mates." There was that word again. 'Soul Mates'.

"So how have you been?" I asked quickly, before I could brood on that subject.

"I've been getting better." She said, surprising me. "Edward leaving is a lot easier to handle this time." I was surprised she was being so open about that.

"I'm glad. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to see you go through that again." She stared at me for a second before blinking and nodding.

"He cheated on me, ya know." She blurted out while picking at her fingers. She blushed slightly and I couldn't help but do the same.

"With Rosalie?" I guessed. She nodded with this far away look in her eyes. "Then he didn't deserve you, Bella." I saw the way she rolled her eyes. "I'm serious." I added, forcing her to look at me. "He let go of the best thing that ever happened in his life. He'll realize it, trust me."

"Thanks, Angela." There was a long minute or so of content silence. "How are things with you and Jacob?" Just hearing his name made me smile and blush. She laughed. "That good, huh?"

"I've never met anyone like him." I muttered. She smiled and nudged me with her shoulder. "I've been worried lately, though." Her head cocked to the side in confusion. "I'm not sure how to tell him about my…uh…issues." It was hard for me to find the words. Bella knew of my eating disorders and did her best to conceal it from everyone else.

"That won't scare him away, I promise." Her voice was so sure that I didn't want to argue.

"I'm so ashamed that I'm like this, Bella." I admitted. "I hate that when I have an orange, I feel like everyone in the room is watching and whispering."

"Jacob's not the type of person to leave someone because of their issues. Especially if he loves that person." I had a feeling that she wasn't just talking about me anymore. She had curled up her knees and was resting her chin upon them, playing with her shoe laces with this faraway gaze.

That was the moment I realized just how much they had loved each other.

Yet, she didn't sound spiteful or bitter like I thought she did the last time we had spoken. Something was different.

A little click went off in my head.

"How is Emmett handling all of this?" I asked once I remembered how close he and Rosalie had appeared.

"Better than I thought he would. He found out before I did. But I know he's hurting about it. After all, he thought they were mates." Her voice changed the moment she started talking about him. She seemed full of life and alert again. She caught me smiling at her and blushed. "What?"

"It's just…" I couldn't find the words. "Bella, before, when you were walking over here…I saw Emmett grab your hand." Her blush intensified and she bit her lip like she always did.

"Oh?" She responded innocently.

"Yeah. And…I really don't know how to describe it. But it was like the world just sort of…clicked for a minute."

She opened her mouth to, what was probably the first time, rant about something supernatural when a loud motor cut us off. We both turned to see a cherry red motorcycle speed into the now-abandoned parking lot and skid to a stop in front of us. I guess I almost didn't recognize him, but when Jacob kicked the stand down and stood off the bike, my entire body went numb. His cut off jeans hung dangerously low on his sculpted hips and a simple black t shirt strained over his still-growing muscles.

"Afternoon, ladies." His voice sent chills down my spine and those pearly white teeth revealed themselves in a flawless smile.

"Breathe." I felt Bella whisper in my air, snapping me from my drool-fest and making me blush so much I swore I was on fire.

"Hi Jake." Bella said casually as she crawled to the end of the bed.

"Hey, Bells." Bella made the mistake of trying to be graceful, I guess, because when she went to jump off the truck, her foot caught and she went flying forward. I reached out uselessly but watched as Jacob, with his heightened reflexes, easily caught her in his arms.

There were these painfully long few seconds where they just stared at each other, as though speaking through words I couldn't understand.

I know it was irrational, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. I was actually waiting for them to just fall in love right then and there, then leave me all alone. But, instead, she just smirked at him and rolled her eyes. And he smiled back.

"I really hope you learn how to walk one day, Bells." He teased as he set her on her feet carefully.

"Leave me alone, Jake." She snapped at him playfully.

"Hey, Angela." Jacob said to me, his eyes smoldering into mine. I bit my lip because I still wasn't used to the way I felt whenever he looked at me. He looked me as though the world could be exploding around him and he wouldn't notice and or care.

He reached forward and with one hand, picked me up and stood me in front of him. One of the best things about Jacob? He was really tall. Like, taller than me. Which never happened.

"Jacob." I managed to squeak out. He smiled again and grabbed my chin with one of his huge hands, his thumb brushing my bottom lip slightly. He lifted slightly and I followed his lead hopelessly by going up on my tip toes. He smirked one more time before leaning down the rest of the way and pressing his warm lips against mine.

Now, I didn't think my first kiss with Eric was bad, just plain. But Jacob…he made me see stars, literally, every single time we connected. My knees wobbled slightly so I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him a little harder, loving the way he tasted and how his other huge arm felt wrapped around my waist. As much as I didn't want to stop, I remembered that Bella must be feeling really uncomfortable and pulled away, making him pout.

I couldn't help but giggle as I turned towards Bella, who was flipping her phone shut. We weren't taking that long, were we?

"So, Bella. Do you want to go out with Angela and I tonight?" Jacob asked hopefully as he wrapped his arm around my waist. I mentally prayed that he wouldn't notice just how huge his arm was compared to my waist, and I could prolong telling him just a little while longer.

"Sorry, Jake. I have dinner with the Cullen's tonight." She replied as she finished sending another text. From the look on her face, I would bet money it was Emmett Cullen.

And I don't bet on anything.

"Your loss. I was going to make my specialty." He wagged his eyebrows at her and I giggled. He smiled at me and kissed my temple, like he usually did when I laughed.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Right. I don't know how I'll do without Mac & Cheese with warm Colas. Don't let him fool you Angela." She said with a wink. I never saw Bella wink before. "He tried to get me on that train when we were six." I couldn't help but to laugh at the thought of a little Jacob trying to woo a little Bella.

"Way to throw me under the bus there, Bells." He grumbled, folding his arms like a child. Unsure of how exactly to comfort him, I settled for leaning against him, which he seemed to love.

"Jake? Can you give Angela and I a second? Like, a _real_ second alone." She asked him as she flipped her hair from her face. Nowadays, Bella seemed sad a lot. I know her boyfriend just left/cheated on her, but I hated that she was always so bitter and sheltered from the world. I know that look that she wears every day. Heck, I wear it all the time. It's the look of invisibility. It's when you think of everything else but what you're doing now in hopes that maybe you can be doing something else, or changing something.

But, when I see her with Alice and the rest of those vampires, she's truly and honestly happy. It's not the forced laughter she does when Jessica makes a bad joke at lunch, and not the fake smile she makes when Mike Newton tries to impress her. She's actually Bella.

"What am I supposed to do?" Jacob asked, pulling me from my thoughts. She put her hands on her hips, just like Alice, and looked not one bit less intimidating as she.

"I don't know. Go fetch a stick or something." I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that one. He hung his head and went running into the forest. She waited a few minutes before turning to me. "Listen, I know you're terrified to tell him. But I think you should tonight." I gaped at her and immediately started shaking my head no.

"Bella, I can't. If he finds out…" Tears pricked my eyes at the thought of what would happen. Maybe he'd throw something, or scream, or leave and never come back into the room ever again.

"I know you think he won't understand. I know you're afraid to tell him. But he is your protector, Angela. Let him help you because, in reality, he's probably the only one that can." She nearly begged me. "I know that it's scary to open yourself up to someone and I know that life has handed you a fairly shitty hand, but I care about you so much Angela. You deserve to get better." I didn't know where this emotion was coming from, but she was staring me straight in the eyes, begging me to understand.

"I can't lose him, Bella." I choked out, pulling away to sit on the edge of her truck. She did the same. "I've never felt happiness like this before and I don't care if it makes me selfish, but I don't want to give him up." Her hand slipped into mine and she gave me a reassuring smile.

"It doesn't make you selfish, Angela. You're the least selfish person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. If anyone out there deserves Jacob, it's you. And that's coming from the girl who fell in love with him." Not even Jacob had brought that up before, so hearing her admit it was like a huge relief off my shoulders. Well, in a strange way it was. I now felt a new weight, like I stole him from her, come piling down.

"You love him." I stated.

"No." I was confused. "I did love him. Right now, I need to focus on myself. I have to figure out what's going on between Emmett and I." I had almost forgotten that our conversation was cut short by Jacob's arrival.

"You think there might be something between you?" I asked. She laughed a little.

"Maybe. I don't know if I'm ready for there to be something though." I smiled and wiped away the few tears that had fallen from my eyes. I cry so much. "But I'm going to find out. Because if you think something will be worth it in the end, then you have to take the risks in order to get there."

With the spotlight back on me I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"What if he can't fix me?" The words were so terrifying that they burned my throat and sent a cold feeling in my insides.

"Then he will be there every day for you to lean on. I told you before, Ang, he's not going anywhere." Unable to contain myself, I pulled her into a hug, which she eagerly responded to.

"Thank you, Bella. You're such an amazing friend."

She pulled away and smiled sadly at me. "Hardly." Before I could protest, she pinched my arm and I let out a loud yelp in surprise. A few seconds later, Jacob came bounding from the tree line with concern painting his features.

"You okay, Angela?" He asked as he assessed me for damage. I blushed under his gaze and nodded.

"I should get going." Bella said after a minute or so. We all said our goodbyes and she squeezed my hand reassuringly and gave me a small encouraging smile.

I watched as she got inside her giant truck, throw it in reverse, and drive off. Jacob and I didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"Come on." He said as he threw his leg over the bike. I froze in shock.

"No way. Jake, my dad would kill me!" I tried to protest but he just smiled at me. He reached out and pulled me to him suddenly.

"Trust me." He commanded with those firey dark eyes. I wanted to protest, but I knew that I sadly trusted Jacob with everything I had. I hesitantly sat on the back and felt my stomach twist nervously when he started it up. He grabbed my hands and forced them to wrap around his strong tight stomach.

Just feeling his skin on mine gave me surprising confidence.

"Jacob?" I asked as he pulled out of the parking lot at a nice speed.

"Don't worry, Angela. I promise not to go fast." He responded in a loud voice. I smiled and pressed the side of his face and squeezed him a little tighter.

"No, no. That's fine, I trust you. But. I have to talk to you about something." Just bringing it up made my palms sweaty and legs turn numb.

I took a deep uncomfortable breath as Jacob blocked most of the wind. Bella was right. If I don't tell him, I would be letting my inner demons win and he deserved better than to be kept in the dark.

As we sped our way towards La Push, I could help but to think about everything Bella has been through so far in her life. So much of it, she's gone through by herself. Look how strong she is after all the heartbreak and pain. I would be weak if I didn't do this one thing for myself.

Sooner than I wanted, Jacob pulled into his shoddy garage and helped me off the bike.

"What do you want to talk about?" He asked immediately. My fingers were shaking as I pulled at my sweater uneasily. "Angela?" I met his eyes and instantly cursed myself. I should've known that looking at his eyes would be my complete undoing.

"I'm sorry." I choked out. He went to hug me but I stepped back away from him. For a moment, I was reminded of when I had to a speech in my English class a couple weeks ago. My legs felt numb, my neck hot, and my hands were shaking so much I couldn't grab the bottom of my sweater.

This was it. I've only ever told one person about my issues: Bella. I closed my eyes and started lifting my shirt.

"Woah, Angela. What are you doing?" He asked quickly as he focused on my face, trying to understand what I was doing.

"Not that I mind, I think. But this is kinda sudden, don't you think—"

"Just look." I told him quickly as I slammed my eyes shut again. I hadn't lifted my shirt past my chest, but I knew I wouldn't need to. I'm sure at this second he was observing the way each of my ribs prominently displayed through my skin and how my hip bones jutted out.

"Angela…Are you…sick?" He asked in confusion. I didn't realize I was crying until I felt his warm hands on my cheek, brushing them away. His other hand pulled my shirt down and I opened my eyes to stare at him.

"I'm sorry." I whispered again. I barely got the words out before he kissed my on the lips with so much passion my knees wobbled again.

Here it is, I thought. His last kiss so he can tell me to leave.

"Don't apologize. Whatever this is, I'm here for you." He assured me, catching me completely off guard.

"I can't guarantee that…"I couldn't find the words I needed to so I just settled for kissing him again.

"Let's go inside. I'm sure my dad has some hot chocolate lying around somewhere. We should talk about things." He took my hand and led me to his house. Well, here goes nothing.

I shut the door behind us and followed him the kitchen.

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><p><strong>Emmett<strong> **POV (This is only a little blurp to get to my next sections. This is my time break)**

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><p>"Okay, run this by me one more time." My father commanded as him, Jasper, and I climbed up a tree and perched on the branches.<p>

"I'm telling you, when Emmett and Bella held hands all the emotions they were feeling just sort of…corrected themselves. I could physically _see_ the emotional link between them." Jasper tried his best to explain as I rested on a large branch and stared up at the gray sky.

"Emmett? Any input here?" My father asked. I smirked and let my arm dangle.

I hadn't had a chance to talk to Carlisle about the discovery Bella and I made. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I smirked, pulling it out knowing it'd be Bella.

'_Can you come over in a little? Jacob showed up and I could use someone to talk to. I'll be leaving the school soon'' _I smiled and slid open the Qwerty keyboard.

'_Of course. Let me just escape the clutches of my family' _

"Emmett?" Jasper cleared his throat loudly, probably feeling that I was smiling.

"Sorry. Um, yeah. I've been trying to figure it out for myself…" I trailed off but eventually divulged into everything. The way I could understand what she was feeling when I was touching her and how we could project feelings to each other so long as our skin made contact. Just talking about it made a giant smile form on my face and I wasn't too sure why.

"That's remarkable." Carlisle gasped once I was finished. I jumped to my feet and grabbed another branch to swing on so I could get to the other side of the tree where they were.

"I mean, the whole feeling when the other is in great pain is one thing. But this is like…a power." Jasper deduced as he studied my face. "So you can feel whatever she's feeling?" He asked curiously. I continued to swing on my new branch, smiling when I saw I was dangling above the far away ground.

"So far, as long as I'm touching her, then yes." I couldn't help but feel a little arrogant about it.

"This is certainly an interesting turn of events. It's obvious that the connection your minds formed is a lot deeper than I thought before." Carlisle mused. As much as I wanted to stay and talk about it, there was a girl waiting for me to be at her house.

"Why are you so antsy?" Jasper asked as he twitched his foot nervously. I loved when he got caught up in someone's emotions. The best is at school when some geek is having dirty fantasies during class. Jasper took Alice into the forest and we didn't see them for hours after that day.

"Sorry, Bella just wants me at her house. The mutt showed up." I explained a little bashfully. Carlisle studied my face carefully and Jasper just stared at me with a mixture of shock and confusion.

"Okay. We will talk about this after dinner tonight. Did I tell you that Esme bought alcohol so we can do something during dinner?" Carlisle said with a chuckle at the thought of his wife. Esme has been big on making Bella feel extra comfortable around us since the whole Edward situation. I think she's actually afraid of Bella leaving our family being that she cares for her like a daughter.

"Well this ought to be interesting." I thought as I began to climb down the tree.

"I'm curious to see how you and Bella act around each other. I don't think you should tell her that we know about the connection." Jasper said with a faraway look in his eyes. I knew that look; it was the one he had when he was planning something.

"I'll try and keep it from her, but Bella and I have a strict honesty policy. If she asks, I'll tell her the truth."

"Who the hell are you and what have you done with Emmett?" Jasper teased as he began to jump down the branches to catch up with me. I growled at him and a familiar glint appeared in his eyes. The branch I was currently hanging off of served as a great tool to kick him hard when he started to get too close.

He growled viciously and I could feel the venom pooling in my mouth. We landed on the ground and instantly I rushed him, knowing he would suspect it. Jasper was really quick though and so much experience from his days in the wars so he dodged and kicked me hard in the back of the leg.

I whipped around, intent on pinning him to the ground when I was suddenly hit in the head with incredible force. I went flying back and sat up to rub my head.

I saw Carlisle standing between Jasper—who was also on the floor—with his hands casually in his pockets.

"I don't think Bella will appreciate you being late. And I don't think Alice will like you ruining that jacket she bought for you, Jasper." With that, he walked away from us before sprinting back to the house through the trees.

Jasper and I just stared at each other in awe.

"We just got whooped by our dad." We laughed and brushed the dirt off of us.

"I guess I have a habit for letting my guard down around him." Jasper spoke more to himself than anything. He rarely got beat, so I'm sure this just crushed his ego. "Do you want to continue our fight after dinner, perhaps?" He asked as he smoothed his jacket, which definitely would have gotten him cut off if it had been damaged.

"Definitely." I flashed my teeth at him. He smirked at me when my mind started to drift to Bella again.

"Emmett? I'm happy for you." He said quietly. I raised my eyebrows at him. He chuckled. "I am. I was worried that when you slipped up, you would never snap out of that state. And when you did, I wasn't sure you'd ever be the same." I grimaced because I hated that I put the family through so much stress and worry. "Then the whole Rosalie situation happened…" He trailed off and I didn't blame him; I knew he had been very disturbed more so than the others when he found out. For starters, Rosalie and him had been disguising themselves as twins for years and actually had a strong bond.

"Edward and I may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but I trusted him. When I found out, I couldn't contain my anger." Alice had told me in detail about how he had fought Edward in front of those nomads and made him tell the truth when he found out.

I always knew he was my favorite brother.

"Thank you for that by the way." I added. He smiled.

"It was my pleasure." His voice was darker. "Then when Edward wouldn't tell Bella…I was outraged. Bella forgave me before anyone else when I attacked her at her birthday. She's shown such compassion that I can't fathom why he, or anyone for that matter, would want to hurt her." I felt agitated and I'm sure it was a combination of both of our anger on the subject. "She's strong; much stronger than anyone else around her. But most importantly, Bella saved your life. That's something that none of us could have done and to still want to be around us after how much we all hurt her…she deserves to be happy, Emmett."

"I agree." Came my immediate response. "She deserves the world after saving me."

"Well, I think you could the repay the favor." He said with a wink. I smiled and stared past him through the trees.

"I almost kissed her the other day." I confessed without really thinking about it. To my surprised, he actually laughed.

"Almost?" He teased. If I was human, I probably would have started blushing.

"Well, yeah. The same day we found out about this emotion thing, I was so close to kissing her." I stressed. He smiled and raised his eyebrow at me. Whenever I talked with Jasper, I actually felt like a kid again. "I forced myself not to because it was the same day that Jacob broke her heart. I didn't want that to ruin it." I admitted slightly bashful.

"How very noble of you." He teased making me growl at him. "Just get going. I'll see you at dinner." He patted my back and started to walk casually in the direction of the house.

"Hey, Jasper? You know you're my favorite brother, right?" I reminded him. He looked over his shoulder and smiled that famous southern smile.

"Likewise." I laughed and sprinted in the direction of Bella's house, smiling the entire way.

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><p><strong>Bella POV<strong>

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><p>I pulled into the driveway and cut the engine, not liking the eerie silence that followed. I clenched my fingers around the steering wheel and let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding.<p>

I always forgot just how easy it was to talk to Angela. She was so non-judgmental compared to what I used to. I wasn't counting on seeing Jacob, though. As wrong as it may sound, my heart still tightened in my chest when he showed up and looked at Angela with that familiar Imprint gaze that sort of made you feel inferior. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be happier for Angela. Not only do I now have a friend who I can talk to about supernatural issues but she's also going to be happy with someone who will love her each and everyday.

It's just…I'm not sure exactly. My little 'Jacob Drawer' rattled still when I saw him, but the pain wasn't unbearable. I could feel in my soul that we were going to be okay. In fact in a few weeks, I'll be able to spend time alone with him without the heartache. Just like talking to Angela today reminded me about how much I miss having someone normal in my life.

I took a deep breath yet still couldn't bring myself to unclench my fingers from the steering wheel. There was this annoying ringing in the back of my head that knew what was bothering me so much that I didn't want to acknowledge.

A tear I didn't expect, slipped down my face into my lap. I bit my lip hard to fight down the rest of them.

I know I'm worried that I'll never have what Jacob and Angela have. Maybe, in the back of my sick head, I always hoped that Jacob would always be there for me. It's such an unfair thing to want, but I guess I was hoping on it a lot more than I should have. Angela is going to get better because of him and Jacob won't be constantly tossed aside like I made him feel, so why wasn't I happy?

Oh, that's right, it's because I don't think I'll ever fall in love with someone again. Looking back on my relationship with Edward, I don't think I was ever truly in love with him. Yes, I loved him. I loved him so much it hurt, but I look at Alice and Jasper or Carlisle and Esme, and even my mom and Phil. There's something…different about it. My mother always used to joke with me that when the time is right, I will feel the butterflies, and I'll think about him all the time, and I'll have my fairy tale feelings.

I thought, at the time, the things I felt with Edward _were_ those feelings. But they weren't. He was manipulating me. He always got his way because of that dazzling effect. Besides, I never wanted to be in a relationship like that. Verbally abusive, controlling, and over-protective really isn't my thing. I deserved better than that, I see that now.

But he was my first boyfriend. He was the first boy who actually ever cared about me, who ever kissed me, made my insides twist. Losing him makes me think things will go right back to the way they were: me being invisible like when I was in Phoenix. Granted, I'll always have Mike Newton—that I'm sure of.

"So are you frozen or something?" I would have completely spazzed my from my seat if my fingers weren't clenched around the steering wheel as hard as they were. I looked over, my heart beating so fast I could feel it in my ears, to see those familiar golden eyes staring at me through the window.

"Emmett." I choked out.

"Well hello to you too, beautiful." I felt my face heat it up like it did every time someone called me that. "Now are you going to come out and hug me or am I going to have to come in there. I promise I'll be as gentle as I can manage." I blushed even harder at the slight innuendo.

"Would you laugh at me if I said I don't think I can unclench my fingers?" I asked in a small voice. The teasing glint in his eyes softened when he realized that I was actually serious. Suddenly, he was gone. I was just about to yell out for him when the passenger door shut. I turned and almost collided with his face.

"So how is Angela?" He asked casually.

"I missed her." Came my quiet voice. "And I was just about to open up and go crazy when stupid Jacob and his stupid motorcycle shows up." I pouted like a child.

"How did that go?" He asked, grimacing slightly. I sighed and slouched my shoulders, leaning forward to rest my forehead on the steering wheel.

"I'm so happy for Angela. It's just…when I see Jacob…" I flashed back to when I clumsily tripped while getting off the truck and he caught me. For the longest time, we stared into each other's eyes and I _know_ that look. When he looks in my eyes, I can see the normal 'no-imprint' Jacob that I am so familiar with. It was just a sad reminder that he wasn't supposed to Imprint on Angela. That makes me sound horrible, I know, because I know that in a few weeks, Jacob will be so in love with Angela that he'll be happy he imprinted on her. But the way he looked at her… "I feel so alone." I instantly cursed myself for letting my inner thoughts become vocal.

"You're not alone." He responded instantly. I smiled sadly. As I tried to collect my thoughts, he wrapped his arm around me to touch my fingers on the steering wheel. Not wanting him to compromise my emotions, I willed to turn the thing off.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, his breath so close to my face my heart beat spiked.

"I just need a second." I assured him. I watched his fingers intently as they filled in the gaps between mine and he slowly eased them off of it. My fingers were red as sin and felt really stiff once I let them fall into my lap. Emmett leaned back but didn't remove his arm from around me.

"Like I said before, crazy, you're not alone. You have so many people who care for you." I leaned into his chest, relishing in the way his fingers made tiny patterns on my sleeve to calm me down.

"I know. It's just…I suddenly feel…" Ever since Emmett and I discovered this emotional link thing, we've used it to silently communicate to each other when others are around. Just like today in the parking lot when I saw Angela. I was so terrified and worried when I saw her, but he sent me reassurance and confidence. I wanted him to give us some time alone and somehow he understood that.

Unable to put find the right words, I turned to him and grabbed his face between my hands and let the emotion link open between us.

By the time our emotions evened out and he understood the strange loneliness, worry, and worry I felt, I was breathing a little heavier because while he was focusing on them, I was focusing on him.

I always forgot just how amazingly handsome Emmett was until I saw him in person. It was as though my memory could never do him justice. Besides Charlie, I think Emmett was the last thing I was sure of about this town. I felt so safe with him and I just knew that he would never leave like they did the last time.

"Listen to me." He snapped me from my thoughts. He picked me up and adjusted us so I was sitting across his lap, legs on either side. But I know he didn't mean it in the provocative position like it would look from the outside, because I was just sitting there. He took my hands and held them in his between us. "I know that things have been hard lately. Trust me, it hasn't been easy for me either." The wave of guilt I started to feel for being so selfish about my issues were instantly silenced by his emotions of calm.

"I…" I tried to speak, but I honestly couldn't find the words. He shushed me and locked eyes with me, so I couldn't bring myself to move at all.

"You have done nothing wrong to deserve the bad things that have happened in your life. You're strong, Bells. Stronger than any one person I've ever met. I promise you that things will get easier, and safer." My insides turned to jelly at all of his words. "I don't want you to go through things by yourself anymore. That's what I'm here for, now." I smiled and looked down at our interlocked hands.

"Ya know…" I trailed off as I lifted our hands and pressed his against his side, knowing he could easily break free, but playing along. "Angela used to have the hots for you." He smiled that wicked smile.

"Really?" His perfect eyebrows arched. I laughed and trailed my hands up to wrap around his neck.

"Yeah." We both laughed a little. Once I got out of the car, I stepped close to him and held him tightly. He didn't question it and just wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

"What was that for?" He asked once I pulled away.

"For being you." We spent the next few hours trying to get me to retain calculus, which I say was a total failure.

"You're not that bad." Emmett tried to assure me as he slipped on his jacket.

"Says the man who has taken the course a million times." I mumbled as I wrapped the fancy scarf Alice bought me around my neck

"If it makes you feel any better, I failed algebra when I was a human." He offered, leaning against the wall by the door as I sat on the steps and tied up my boots. I paused and looked up at him.

"You know, it actually does." He gave me a playful growl and snapped his teeth at me. I laughed and slipped on my other shoe.

To my surprise, the door unlocked and in walked Charlie, shivering. "Oh, Bella. Just getting in?" He asked as he slipped off his heavy jacket.

"More like just heading out. I thought you worked until nine tonight." I stated as I tied up the laces.

"It was pretty crowded there so they let me come home early since I'm there all the time." He smiled and shrugged. He turned and saw Emmett and was only mildly surprised. "Evening, son. How are you?" He asked, sticking out a hand. They shook and smiled a manly, semi uncomfortable smile that I never understood.

"Evening, Chief. I'm doing as well as to be expected after what happened today." At that both of us stared at him in confusion.

"Did something happen?" He asked, quickly glancing back at me to make sure I was in working condition.

"Not really. I just spent the last three hours trying to teach your daughter math." The tension that he had created instantly evaporated. I was blushing so hard it hurt when they started laughing. I stood up and glared at them both, not pleased when they tried to stifle their laughter.

"Well as long as I don't kill him first, I'm going over to the Cullen's for dinner tonight." I said still annoyed. Charlie smiled and came over to pat my back, a truly touching moment for us.

"Alright, have fun. Don't be out too late." He warned me with those father eyes and fingers.

"I know. I made you a plate of lasagna and a salad in the fridge." He grimaced at the word salad. "You will eat it." I ordered, glaring at him.

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered as Emmett held open my long black coat with double blazer buttons that tied around the waist. I walked over, still giving him the stink eye, but he fought back with those too-innocent eyes. I slipped my arms into either sleeve and started buttoning the buttons. By the time I was finished and had it tied around my waist, Charlie was standing with a camera.

"Dad." I complained as he flashed a photo before I could stop him.

"Don't blame me, Bells. It's your mother's fault. She's convinced you don't hang out with people." I frowned at the thought of my mother truly thinking that about me. "Besides, you look…very nice and I think I want a picture of my daughter." I could see he resisted sticking his tongue out at me like a child. I went to protest more, but before I could, Emmett leaned down behind me and wrapped his arms around my mid section. My hands instinctively went over his and I looked at his face, which was inches from me, staring at my father.

I barely registered the flash.

"Come on, Bells. Smile." Deciding there was nothing I could do, I turned to my father and smiled.

Once that embarrassment was done, we finally got out of the house and into my truck.

"I hate your car." He muttered as I fired it up.

"Hush." As we started the drive to the Cullen's house, he slid over closer.

When we got there, I greeted everyone and we eventually made our way to the dining room. It was a little change, but I noticed how everyone apart from Carlisle and Esme sat in different seats now. On the side where Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward used to sit, Alice and Jasper sat down. On the other side, where it used to be Alice, Jasper, and myself, there were two open seats.

Esme's food was fantastic and at first, I felt really iffy about being the only one eating in an entire room of vampires. She thought ahead though, and served everyone their choice of alcohol, which dutifully kept their attention away from me. Except for Emmett though. Occasionally, I'd get this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, like something was wrong, but Emmett would casually slide his hand onto my thigh and the emotions calmed themselves.

At one point during the night, I suddenly found myself thinking of Victoria. Things had been relatively quiet lately, and that scared me more than knowing she was around. She could be anywhere, gaining help from anyone. Everyone was laughing at one of Carlisle's stories, so when Jasper slightly tiled his head towards me, no one seemed to notice. He was looking at me in confusion but I just shook my head and tried to send out assurance that I was okay.

My panic must have been pretty great though, because Emmett looked back at me and caught the worried look on my face. He held out his hand and I took it, watching him take in the emotions. I felt his confusion so I sent back a promise that I would explain.

After what could have been forever, dinner finally concluded in the household even though I was the only one eating. Turns out, they do like the taste of alcohol and were drinking and laughing with me the entire time. Even watching Esme drink blew my mind.

Jasper and Emmett had been eying each other the entire night and just when I was about to ask what was going on, they both stood and smiled.

"You two are going at it again?" Carlisle asked. I guess they had been fighting earlier.

"Come on, Carlisle. I've been itching to fight this baboon all night." Jasper defended as his smile turned more and more dark.

In a matter of seconds, we were all outside watching as two blurs of white smashed up against each other in the backyard.

"How come I can actually see them?" I asked when I noticed I could make out their features.

"They fight a lot slower then Edward. They're both very good fighters, so speed isn't what they depend on." Esme explained as she smiled at her boys. "Oh, be careful!" She shouted when one of them, by the sounds of it Emmett, hollered.

They both came to an instant stop and looked at us.

"Okay, Mom." They chanted before instantly going back at it. Her entire face just glowed when they called her that. As everyone watched, I told Esme I was going to use the restroom for a minute.

I jogged carefully up the steps and walked into the bathroom, almost shocked by what I saaw in the mirror. It was me, obviously, but there was life in my eyes again. I was okay. I wasn't going to let Edward ruin my life.

I washed my face and hands before walking out again. I looked down the hallway towards Edward's room and remembered that I had left a pair of gloves here that day he left. I bit my lip and contemplated going after it when suddenly, two strong arms wrapped around me.

"Did you win?" I asked as I fell back into them.

"Nope." I could feel his sadness. I giggled and tugged on his hand, leading him to his bedroom.

We plopped down on the bed where just a few weeks ago, I had stayed with him willing him to speak. His pillows and blankets were so fluffy that I couldn't help but to snuggle into them and against him.

"You're amazing." I whispered. He smiled and propped himself up on his elbow to look down at me.

"Maybe if my good luck charm hadn't left in the middle of our fight and distracted me, I would have won and earned that title." He teased. There was something blissful when he looked at me. It was like we were the only two people in the entire world.

The feeling was addicting and I wanted to hold onto it. "Emmett, could you do me a favor?" I asked, biting my lip just at the thought of it. He smiled.

"Of course."

"Could you kiss me?" I blushed as I said the words, but I knew I wanted them out of the way. I had to know what it was like to feel his lips on my own. Even if we weren't dating, even if he didn't want me that way, I just had to know. That dimple smile appeared again as he lowered his face to mine.

"I thought you'd never ask." I giggled and time seemed to slow down as he got closer. My eyes drifted shut when I could feel his unnecessary breathing and his wonderful scent put my head in a whirlwind.

Nothing in this moment could be more perfect.

His lips had just barely grazed my own when suddenly, a loud crash alerted us both. We both shot up in the bed. My lips tingled from the bare contact and I felt like the air had just been pushed out of me.

I've never felt like that before.

"You've got to be kidding me!" We heard an angry Jasper scream from below.

There were more voices, nothing I could understand, but Emmett clearly could. In a flash he had picked me up and set me down in the dining room where everyone was standing. A few broken china lay crumpled on the floor, but Esme said nothing.

"I'm sorry!" Alice pleaded to Jasper, whose eyes were the true definition of rage. He saw that I was here and growled at Alice, something I thought I'd never see.

"Don't apologize to me, Alice! Apologize to her!" All eyes turned to me so suddenly, that I took a step back.

"W-What's going on?" I asked in a shaky voice. Alice's eyes were so desperate and sad that I thought she might start to cry any minute.

"You have to understand, I didn't do it to hurt you, Bella!" She explained although it didn't help my confusion.

"I'm confused." I vocalized, looking to any one else for support. Jasper was the only one to meet my gaze.

"It seems my wife has taken the liberty of inviting Edward and Rosalie back for a visit." He said through gritted teeth. My legs went numb and my fingers tingled.

"What?" I gasped out in shock.

"Tell her when they'll be here, Alice." Jasper demanded. I stared straight into her eyes.

"Tomorrow."

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><p><strong>Dun Dun Duhhhhh! Haha, okay, so this chapter was all over the place and for that, I apologize. I threw in the random Angela in the beginning mostly because at the time I had a huge writer's block against writing anything for people who don't review. BUT I got over it quickly and decided I liked being in Angela's mind for a bit. The Emmett section was because I thought it would be a much more appropriate time break then me just telling you it's a time break. Did you enjoy hearing from Angela's point of view?<strong>

**And finally, most importantly, Bella. Let me start by saying I apologize for the spelling or grammatical errors, I am just one girl.**

**Plus, it's like almost 1 AM and my eyes are like bleeding. I know, she's still upset about Jacob but in case you couldn't tell, she gets all happy and stuff when Emmett's around. Remember, this is a story. They can't just get together right away (Even though it almost happened (; )**

**Emmett and Jasper are such cute brothers. **Creepy happy face** Did you like their conversation?**

**Maybe Jasper's reaction was a bit harsh against Alice, but I think that's perfectly reasonable. I'll go into deeper explanation next chapter, I promise. What did you think of Jasper's flip out?**

**I'm sure a lot of you are wondering why Alice would do such a thing, and after what she'll say in the next chapter, I don't blame you.**

**Spoiler Alert! Sneak Peak!**

"Alice, I don't understand. Why would you tell them to come here without consulting with me or more importantly, everyone else?" My throat felt dry as I said the words. My hands were still balled up into fists on my knees from anger.

"Please understand Bella. I didn't do it to hurt you. We were talking and I just asked them to come visit. I'm so sorry. But, I miss them. I miss Edward and I miss having my sister around." I almost passed out right there and then. I made sure that she didn't see just how much that comment hurt me. How many times had she assured me that she loved me as though we were sisters? Apparently, I'm not enough

They say that when a friend betrays you, it's a sickening feeling in your stomach.

They lied.

It's the most disgusting feeling you can ever imagine. Suddenly, you find yourself questioning everything you've ever done during your friendship. All the truths spilt and the memories shared don't seem like anything anymore.

Jasper and Emmett were both fuming from her words. Carlisle and Esme were both so distraught about what was happening.

"Bella, please. Look at me." She begged. And for the first time in my life, I couldn't meet the eyes of Alice Cullen.

"I can't."

**OOOOOOOOOO.**

**Dramatic, I know. Haha, anyway. If you want to see the next chapter which contains best friend drama, LOTS of fighting when Edward and Rosalie arrive, a physical blow out between Edward and Emmett, and maybe some word on our mysterious seducer and Victoria, you MUST REVIEW.**

**I'm not kidding, I need to know your feedback, otherwise I don't know where to head with this story. Trust me, please.**

**I won't keep you waiting! Reviews make me write faster, it's proven. Haha.**

**Plus, I'm temporarily homeschooled while I'm all sick and stuff, so I'll have plenty of time with my computer.**

**Anywho, hope you liked it. Or, if it was horrible, that you'll let me know.**

**Thank you, beauties!**

**~Pepper**


	10. Chapter 10 Worries

**Oh. My. God. I posted the last chapter at 1 AM and by the time I checked my email at 12 PM, I had over 30 reviews. Looking back on it, I sounded really whiney and annoying and I apologize. I didn't mean to sound like that, but I guess I'm kind of glad I did. Your reviews were SO helpful about how I wanted this chapter to go!**

**If this is what popular people feel like, then wheew…I love it!**

**Let me take a second to answer some questions/concerns. **

**I'm glad almost all of you liked Jasper's reaction to Alice. I was a little nervous while writing it, because they have such a close relationship. But, he and Bella did become close and he feels like he owes her (Since she was the only one that forgave him when he attacked her). Also, he felt betrayed by both Edward and Rosalie. Rosalie and him pretended to be twins so much that they actually formed a close relationship and he trusted her. Edward, on the other hand, was a little different. They never really got along, especially after the birthday incident, but he trusted that he would take care of Bella, which he didn't.**

**And now onto Alice. A lot of you were really…pissed to say the least at her. For starters, many of you were mad that she could do that to Bella. Well, she did. I always get annoyed when stories make Alice seem like a saint, because I don't think she is. One of you brought up her future-seeing ability. Well, the way I had it done was that it was a VERY sudden decision. Literally, it happened while Jasper and Emmett were fighting. While Emmett and Bella were in his bed, Jasper could feel that something was wrong. Alice let it slip, and you know the rest. There was no time for her to see the family's reaction because she was so focused on seeing them. Yes, her best friend comment you saw in the sneak peak was harsh. I wanted Alice to be harsh. It's going to be a very drama filled chapter. When Alice doesn't rely on her future-seeing abilities, she tends to make rash or 'stupid' decisions. She relies so much on being able to see the future that she doesn't know how to make choices herself.**

**I got some mixed reactions on Angela's POV. Some of you are sick of them being mentioned in this story, and I'm sorry for that. But Angela and Jacob play a huge role in this if I decide to go a certain way. Plus, I started writing Angela's POV because I had a writer's block and then I just went with it. **

**Okay my Emmett fanatics, take a deep breath. I know you want them to get together like. Now. However, I do have a certain way planned for it. But if you just stay calm, and read this chapter, I hope you wont be disappointed. They will be the cause of a lot of drama when Edward and Rosalie get here.**

**I hope you enjoy it.**

**This chapter is dedicated AbbeNormal and all my other reviewers out there.**

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><p><strong>Bella POV<strong>

When I was younger, my mother used to tell me stories about her childhood. One of the stories that always stayed with me was when she got a boyfriend. It doesn't sound all that special, but she was the first to get one in her group of friends. Because of that, she didn't have any one to talk to about the relationship and the one person she thought she could, spread a vicious rumor about my mother being pregnant around school.

Maybe she's the reason I don't like getting close to people. The message I got from that story was that you can't trust anyone wholly but yourself.

With Alice and I, I made the mistake of letting my guard down. I trusted Alice with everything I had left in this world. I felt like I could tell her anything and that she was always going to be there for me.

My mistake.

I was sitting on the couch staring at the floor intently, trying to understand. Alice, my best friend, invited the boy that cheated on me and broke my heart and the girl that literally tried to kill me to the house without consulting anybody.

"Bella?" Her bell like voice asked. She was sitting on the recliner far from me. Emmett and Jasper were standing by the television, arms crossed over their chests in anger. Carlisle and Esme stood in the doorway that led to the kitchen stoically.

"Alice, I don't understand. Why would you tell them to come here without consulting with me or more importantly, everyone else?" My throat felt dry as I said the words. My hands were still balled up into fists on my knees from anger.

"Please understand Bella. I didn't do it to hurt you. We were talking and I just asked them to come visit. I'm so sorry. But, I miss them. I miss Edward and I miss having my sister around." I almost passed out right there and then. I made sure that she didn't see just how much that comment hurt me. How many times had she assured me that she loved me as though we were sisters? Apparently, I'm not enough

They say that when a friend betrays you, it's a sickening feeling in your stomach.

They lied.

It's the most disgusting feeling you can ever imagine. Suddenly, you find yourself questioning everything you've ever done during your friendship. All the truths spilt and the memories shared don't seem like anything anymore.

Jasper and Emmett were both fuming from her words. Carlisle and Esme were both so distraught about what was happening.

"Bella, please. Look at me." She begged. And for the first time in my life, I couldn't meet the eyes of Alice Cullen.

"I can't." The words sounded so foreign from my mouth. I was usually such an easy going, forgiving person. I still talked to Jessica even though I know she used to talk about me behind my back. I forgave my father for chasing my mother away. But this…I couldn't even begin to understand. "Do you not care that she tried to kill me?" I asked, still unable to meet her eyes.

"Of course I do! It's just… I didn't think…I just wanted them here." She stuttered and stumbled over her words. I didn't think it was possible for vampires to sound so human.

My nails were digging so much into my skin that I had to forcefully pry them away so I wouldn't start bleeding.

"Could one of you take me home?" I asked to no one in particular. No one answered immediately so I brought my gaze to Carlisle and Esme. He nodded to the others.

"I'll take you." Emmett's voice was so tense that I almost didn't recognize it.

"I'll go with you." Jasper caught me by surprise.

"Jasper!" Alice cried out, jumping up to meet him. Emmett walked over to me and held out his hand, which I took like it was my last lifeline to this world. I saw his leg give slightly when he felt the weight of my emotions but he put on a brave face and held me close to his side. I was thankful for his huge size because I felt like if I really tried, I could just disappear into him.

"Alice, I need to get out of this house and clear my emotions." He said through his teeth, pulling away when she reached for him. She brought her arms in front of her and locked her hands in shame. She looked so tiny in that moment.

"Do you still love me?" She asked, in my opinion, a little pathetically. I almost felt bad for her. Her hair was slightly disheveled and her clothes slightly askew, something that I knew she would never let happen on a regular day. But I couldn't.

"Of course." Came his immediate response. "Alice, you've done some pretty dumb things since I've met you. I've always forgiven them because I love you. But, you need to let me walk out that door without you."

"What if you don't come back?" Her soft voice quivered at the thought. My right arm was behind Emmett's back, holding on to his waist, while my other hand was resting on his chest.

"I would never do something so cruel." I didn't miss the way the comment struck Alice. She really messed up. "You need to trust that I'm going to walk out that door and come back when I'm ready." I was starting to feel dizzy from all of this.

_I need to get out of here._ I kept chanting in my head. If I didn't get out now, I would probably pass out right there on the floor and I really just don't want to stay here. Emmett probably felt my sudden need and desperation because he started walking me to the door.

I threw my scarf around my neck and buttoned up my jacket quickly but in a zombie-like state.

How will I feel if I see Edward tomorrow?

Worse, how will I feel when I see Rosalie?

"Bella?" I wanted to scream when I heard her perfect voice call my name. A cold breeze hit my face as Emmett opened the door. His hands clenched around the door and I could only hope he didn't break it—for Esme's sake of course. "I truly am sorry."

Those words sent me completely over the edge.

"You know, you keep saying that Alice. But not once have I seen you reach for your phone to fix this whole situation. Now, unlike you, I care for my safety so I'm going home." I snapped, refusing to look back at her. There was a deathly silence as the three of us filed out of the house and walked towards my truck.

Emmett held out his hand for the keys and I would have protested, but Jasper and I were both in pretty shitty condition to be doing anything right now. I tossed them at him and made my way to the passenger side door.

"Actually, Bella. Will you sit out here with me?" Jasper asked as Emmett started the truck. I glanced at Emmett, knowing that he would be able to calm me down, but decided that I owed Jasper that much. With a gentle leap he hopped into the bed of the truck and held out his pale, scarred hand, for me. I smiled and took it, loving the way the cold felt. He gently pulled me on and we sat down as Emmett began to drive, slowly, away from the Cullen household.

"I'm sorry I caused something between you and Alice." I said as I pulled my knees up to my face and wrapped my arms around them, watching the lights of the Cullen household disappear.

"Do not apologize." He demanded, a little harsh. "You are in no fault here. In fact, I'm surprised you still want to talk to us at all." He admitted, leaning back on his pale white arms, staring up at the cloudy night.

"Of course I do. You guys are family." I assured him. He smiled, his teeth revealing themselves in the night.

"If that's the case, then we haven't been a very good family to you. First, I try to kill you. Then, we leave you. When we come back, we can't see that Edward is controlling you. Another one of us tries to kill you. And finally, your best friend betrays you."

I grimaced but chuckled nonetheless. "Well when you say it like that…" I trailed off with a smile. "Jasper, you know I don't blame you for what happened at my birthday, right?" I reminded him. He smiled.

"I never forget. That's why this whole thing bothers me so much. How is it people can hurt you without so much as a second thought?" He questioned. I was flattered because he spoke of me like I was someone so important.

"Well, I guess I'm kind of used to it." I could see instantly how much that bothered him. "Thank you for caring so much though. It means a lot."

"When I found out about Edward and Rosalie that night…I felt physically stabbed in the heart. I've been attacked by thousands of newborn vampires, and I'd take a thousand more if it meant never feeling that way again." My heart swelled at his words. "And now, Alice betrayed my trust as well."

"I can't believe she would call them. I mean, I knew they were coming back eventually, but I just…" I stopped, not knowing exactly what I wanted to say.

"I know what you mean. You're not ready to face them. Hell, I'm not even ready to face them so I can't imagine what's going on in your mind." For a moment, I let his words linger in the air. The rumbling of my truck turned onto the lit streets of town.

"Alice relies on her gift, Bella." He said as I watched the buildings pass. "When she doesn't see the future for some reason, or makes a decision without looking first, she's completely ignorant. I don't think she knows how to function without it. That's why she gets so angry when the wolves become involved in our plans, because she feels useless and doesn't know how to act without it. So, a part of me understands why she did this without thinking but I don't see how you can love someone and put them through that much pain." It was sort of like seeing Alice in a new light from his words, because they completely made sense.

When Jacob was around and she couldn't see the future, she couldn't make sense of anything. We couldn't even make simple plans at the mall without her checking first. Granted, it has come in handy many a time but still…

"I'm kind of a pushover." I said when I saw Mike, Eric, and Jessica walking out of the diner.

"Bella!" Mike called, waving like a lunatic. I actually smiled for the first time since Alice's confession and waved back. When he saw Jasper, his smile faded and he seemed so confused that I turned to Jasper and laughed. He was groaning and leaned his head on his hand where his elbow was on the side of the truck bed.

"His emotions are impossible to control. Every time he's around you his lust spikes to unhealthy levels. That boy has some serious issues." I couldn't help but to giggle at his discomfort.

"Listen, I don't know if I'm ready to see either of them tomorrow." I admitted after a few minutes.

"I promise that I will protect you." He said instantly. I saw his ears perk slightly and a slight smile spread across his lips. "Emmett wants me to tell you that he promises to protect you more." I laughed and turned to look through the window, where Emmett's eyes studied me carefully through the rear view mirror. I smiled and his eyes twinkled. He gave me a wink and I felt myself blush.

"Emotions are a tricky thing, Bella." His voice was slightly darker. I turned and saw him staring at the dark road behind the truck. "You may feel the emotion but you never quite understand the reason behind it until you talk about it." I couldn't tell if he was talking to just me or in general, but his words struck a nerve.

The message I got from it was 'Don't jump to conclusions'

The truck stopped in my driveway but Emmett stayed inside, probably to give us a false sense of security.

"I can't guarantee that Edward won't try to contact you tomorrow." He stated flat out. "However, I will swear my loyalty to protecting you from Rosalie." He sounded so official, and his southern accent came out full force. He stood and helped me down onto the pavement. He stood straight and I noticed just how tall Jasper really was.

"Jasper…that's unnecessary." I tried to tell him. But he shook his head and suddenly saluted me as though I were a higher officer than he.

"Now, Miss Bella. Don't go ruining my honor." I couldn't help but to smile at him.

"Thank you, Jasper." I pulled him into a hug and he wrapped his cold arms around me. "Will you be Okay?" I asked as I pulled away. His smile faltered slightly as he was reminded of his insane wife.

"I'll be fine once I cool off some steam. I promise." He said as he flipped his hair out of his eyes.

"Okay. I have a feeling I'll see you early tomorrow." I said as Emmett finally came out of the truck.

He chuckled. "I'll see you at school." I groaned and forgot that tomorrow was Friday and we still had school.

"You guys will be there?" I asked to both of them. They shared a brief look before looking back at me and nodding.

"Yeah. We won't leave you at school alone. I doubt Alice will be in school though." Emmett said. It was the first time I heard his voice in a while and it instantly soothed my nerves.

"Take care of yourself, Jasper. I'll see you tomorrow." I told him, hugging him once more. He smiled at the two of us then sprinted off into the night.

"Are you okay?" Emmett asked me while holding out his hand, giving me the option of letting him in. I let out a shaky breath and placed my hand in his, letting him feel the betrayal, confusion, and fear. He pulled me to him and I loved the way his huge arms felt wrapped around me. I took a deep breath and tried to forever memorize the way he smelled, as weird as that may sound. He smelled so good.

"You won't leave, right?" I asked into his chest.

"Of course not." I smiled and walked towards the door.

"Meet you up there." I said, looking over my shoulder back at him. He smiled at me and the wind blew, ruffling his short hair slightly. He could be a model if he wanted to. I walked inside and shut the door behind me.

"Hey, Bells." Charlie greeted from the sofa. I grimaced.

"Hi."

"Are you alright?" He asked when he noticed. I sighed and shrugged out of my jacket. I bit my lip and contemplated telling him.

"Alice and I had a fight." I admitted as I unraveled the scarf from my neck. It reminded me of her, which made me angry all over again, so I threw it in the closet. I smiled when it hit the floor and shut the door on it.

"Well it must have been bad for you to let a designer scarf she bought on 'fall' on the floor." I laughed once at his attempt at humor. I looked up and saw him staring at me with this strange, semi-uncomfortable look in his eyes. I had to give him credit because he was trying. I know that our usual 'don't ask, don't tell' policy was pretty rock solid, but he was trying to take an interest in my life.

He was trying to be the great Father I already knew him to be.

"Well, you remember how Edward and Rosalie went to stay with family until everything cools over?" I reminded him, plopping on the sofa next to untie my boots.

"Yup." He was still amazed at how much the Cullens could get away with—such as leaving school for a 'vacation' with barely any notice.

"Well, Alice called them and invited them back without telling anyone. So now, they're going to be here tomorrow and no one in the family is really ready to talk to them." I said as I threw one shoe by the television, annoyed at its existence.

"Why would she do that?" He asked in a tight voice. He was so bothered by the whole situation. He had no sympathy for Edward.

"Because she misses them." I mimicked in a voice that sounded nothing like hers.

"I'm sorry, kiddo." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I was proud of him for it. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you will be stronger when this has blown over."

"Thanks Dad." I said with a smile as I tossed my other boot near the other.

"It's what I'm here for." He said with a glowing smile. I laughed and walked to the kitchen to pour myself some juice. "Have you given any thought into dating Emmett?" Of course, I was drinking so I nearly choked once he said it. He laughed.

"Dad." I groaned as I wiped up what spilt from my lips.

"I'm just saying that I think he's a lot better for you, that's all." I waited for my face to cool down before walking back into the living room.

"As if. You just like him cause you two could talk sports for hours." I teased. He smirked and checked the game on the television he had muted for a second.

"True. But, in all honesty, he makes you happy Bells. I can see it every time he's near. Just give it some thought." I blushed again when I realized that Emmett would be able to hear all of this. Damn Vampire.

"Goodnight Dad." I said, leaning down to kiss him on top of his head.

"Night." I had made it half way up the steps when he called out. "Oh, Bella?" I sighed and prayed it wouldn't be anything too embarrassing.

"Yeah?"

"If Edward gives you any trouble tomorrow, don't be afraid to tell me. I need an excuse to shoot that boy." I laughed even though I had a feeling he really did want to shoot him. _Not to kill_, as he jokes all the time, _just to injure._

"Thanks." I called out as I jogged the rest of the way up the steps. I went straight to the bathroom to get ready, glad that I had a pair of clean sweats I decided not to wear this morning on top of the hamper. I went through the nighttime motions and once I figured that the faded red on my face was the best my blush was going to get for the evening, I went into my room and shut the door.

"Man, I'm really starting to love your father." Ahh, so he wouldn't make this easy on me. I see how this is. I groaned and stomped over to the bed where he was laying casually, hands behind his head, ankles crossed, and a big shit-eating grin on his face. "Oh, don't be like that." He said with a twinkle in his eye. He threw the covers off slightly and patted the bed next to him.

I got all comfortable under the blankets and turned to face him, liking the way his cool presence balanced the fact that my face was hotter than sin.

"I'm really sorry Alice did this to you." He said seriously, totally switching from his teasing attitude.

"Yeah…" I trailed off. "I'm worried about Jasper. I've never seen him yell at her like that."

"You know, a while back, there was a time when Jasper thought Edward and Alice might've been fooling around." He said bluntly. I gaped at him. "Seriously!"

"But that's insane, their soul mates." I shrieked.

"Yeah, I know. And it was only the fact we kept reminding him of that, that kept him from ripping him to shreds. The fact is, they can have completely silent conversations if they want to with their abilities." I nodded because they've done that to me many times. "The fact that she 'misses' them so much probably struck a lot of nerves, one of them being that memory."

"That's horrible…Damn her stupidness." I complained.

"And of course, all this had to happen when I was about to kiss you!" He complained, making me blush. I'd be lying if I said that split second where his lips touched mine wasn't the greatest feeling I've ever experienced.

But there was so much wrong with the world right now. I had my heart broken by two people I thought I could always count on, and betrayed by my best friend.

"Emmett…" I trailed off as I tried to fight back the tears threatening to fall. "I think…"

He shushed me and brushed my cheek with the back of his hand. "Calm down." He commanded and my body reacted instantly. "I know you're stressing, so just go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

He was right, I knew if I continued to talk now, I would do or say something I would regret later. So, I turned around onto my other side and reached behind me to grab his arm and put it around my waist. He got the idea and pulled me close.

I didn't struggle this time.

"Bella! Emmett's here!" I heard my father call from below. I sighed as I finished applying my make up. I was wearing black skinny jeans with a green blouse that hugged me perfectly.

"More like he just ran around the house a few times then knocked on the door." I mumbled, knowing he would hear me. Emmett had kept his promise and stayed the entire night. He was the first thing I saw when I woke up, and when he left to go do some running, I had a bit of a breakdown. The way my heart swelled when I saw his face this morning and how I could imagine doing that forever scared me more than James did.

I couldn't do this to my heart _again_. It was just becoming too much. I knew now that Emmett wanted to kiss me. Whether or not it was just a way to test our emotional link, I wasn't sure, but he seemed eager to kiss me. I knew if he did though, I would let it happen again. I would become weak and let him in. Let him sweet talk his way into being the only thing on my mind. Then, once again, I'd get my hopes up and he would shatter my trust.

I would not do this to myself again.

"Coming!" I shouted, grabbing my cell phone off the bedside table and heading down the steps.

"…if only more people cared about their health like you do, son." Charlie finished as he handed patted Emmett on his huge back. They both looked to me when I came down and Emmett smiled in that way that had my heart beat spiking. His hair was wind blown perfectly and clothes slightly askew, as though he really had jogged from his house. The only thing was, he was drenched. Completely soaked in water.

"Yeah, it's a shame. But, these muscles don't make themselves!" He joked. I grabbed a granola bar out of the cabinet, my backpack from the chair, and walked to the closet. "But, I wish I picked a better day to run. It's pretty wicked out there." Hearing him say that made me grab my heaviest jacket and I slipped on a hat that had a soft warm insides and flaps that covered my ears. I moved Alice's scarf out of the way and grabbed the umbrella on the floor.

"Yeah, it's crazy out there. Bella, be careful when you drive. The roads are going to be horrible in conditions like this." My father warned me. Emmett opened the door and I saw just how bad it was. It was so loud and so heavy.

"Okay, Dad. Talk to you later." I said as I pulled Emmett out the door. He took the umbrella from me and opened it above us.

"Are you okay?" He asked over the rain as we hustled to my truck.

"I…" I wasn't sure what to say.

How exactly am I supposed to say 'Hey, I need you more than anything else in this world and if you weren't here I'd probably have nothing to live for but I know you're going to hurt me so I won't let my feelings win'?

"Bella?" He asked as I fumbled to open the door, I turned to face him. His concern was evident as he held the umbrella over the two of us.

"Emmett, I don't know how much more my heart can take." I yelped out. I looked down in shame. His free hand lifted my chin up to look at him.

"What do you mean, Bella? Remember our honesty policy. You can tell me anything." He reminded me, making my heart beat once more uncomfortably.

"I won't let you break my heart." I said quickly. He didn't say anything so I continued. "Whatever is going on between us…has to stop." I choked out before turning around, opening the door and throwing myself in the truck. I waited only a minute or so before he was suddenly in the passenger side, staring out the window.

"I'm confused." He admitted as I pulled out of the driveway.

"I asked you to kiss me yesterday." I clarified.

"Trust me, I remember." His happiness almost made me puke. What was I doing? It wasn't until we were pulling into the school parking lot that I finally found my voice.

"My fiancé cheated on me and the boy who swore he'd always be there fell in love with someone else. I've been through so much heartache that I won't risk letting you in because I know…"

"You know what?"

"I…I don't know. Everyone I let in just ends up hurting me worse than the one before. Who is to say you won't be the next?"

When I parked the car and looked over, I instantly regretted everything I said.

The face of Emmett Cullen in that moment…broke my heart. (For what was like the hundredth time)

"Bella, I can't believe you of all people would think I'd hurt you." His voice was so harsh that I flinched.

"I know you'd never do it on purpose…but…"

"But nothing, Bella." He snapped at me. "I'll see you at the end of the day." He chuckled incredulously before getting out of the truck and slamming the door so hard I sobbed once. I waited until he was almost to the school before I let the tears fall down my face.

I knew I was doing the right thing, at least I hoped so. It would be better for both of us in the end. Right?

Seeing that I had to be in class soon, I wiped the tears off my face and stepped out of the truck, surprised when I realized it was still _pouring._ I started running to the school, which was my mistake I guess. Whenever I run, I trip. Sure enough, my foot caught on something and I went hurling forward.

I opened my eyes, surprised that the concrete was an inch away. Strong arms pulled me up and set me on my feet. I knew instantly they weren't Emmett's, so my fear level definitely spiked. But when I saw boots and a 'Beatles' hoodie, I knew I was OK.

"Jasper." I sighed in relief, knowing he'd hear me over the pouring rain. He smiled that million dollar smile and picked me up to run to the school. Once we were inside and I was on my feet, I shook out my hat and coat, which were both soaked. "Thank you." I said sincerely as I wrung out the water. He smiled and shook his head like a dog, causing droplets of water to go flying everywhere. I laughed and tried to shield myself from them.

"I told you I'd protect you today, Ma'am. I just didn't think about protecting you from gravity." His comment in full southern drawl made me blush ten fold and he laughed victoriously. "Now, unless my eyes deceive me, which they don't, those are cry-eyes." He said while fixing his hair as we walked through the hallway.

"Emmett…" I trailed off. "I don't know what these feelings are that I feel around him, Jasper. And to be honest, they scare me senseless. I just didn't think and told him I didn't want to let him in if I was going to get hurt." I mumbled as we stopped at my locket first. I put my coat inside of it and hoped that it would semi-dry by the end of the day.

He let out a strange noise through his teeth. "Oh, Bella. Not the best thing to say to a guy that's already terrified of hurting you." We started walking to his locker. "All he wants to do is protect you. And it seems that there are feelings that have grown between the two of you recently."

By the time we stopped in front of my first class, he gave me a small smile. "I'm just saying that he was hurt, too, Bella." And with that, he left for his class and I tried to focus for my calculus and trig quiz.

The day sort of blurred together. I only saw Emmett at lunch, and even then, it was only him disappearing into the music room probably to avoid me. I was stupid for saying what I did, I realize that now, but I was freaking out more by not talking to him. I didn't realize how dependent I'd been on him recently.

As I was pulling my books for my final class of the day out of my locker, someone came walking by whistling some old country song. Just before I could turn, my locker door was shut but Jasper's long arm and he was leaning slightly over me.

"So did you hear the news?" He asked casually, even though the position we were in was a little intimidating.

"Uh, no?" I responded.

"Apparently, we're dating." As he said it, a huge smile appeared on his face and we both started laughing at the same time.

"What?" I asked in amazement as we started walking to my last class of the day: History. History was the best because every few weeks, we watched a movie that kind of had nothing to do with anything and spent the week talking about it as a break.

"Yup. Apparently our romantic date on the back of your truck was compromised when a little birdie let loose about it." I rolled my eyes as I saw that 'little birdie' come walking our way.

"Oh, Hey Bella!" Mike said with a smile. I grimaced.

"Hi Mike."

"And Hello Jasper." Mike said in a much tenser voice. I almost laughed when I saw he was trying to size him up.

"Hello Mike. Come on Bella, we'll be late for class." I gave an apologetic look to Mike before following Jasper.

"That was mean." I told him.

"Bella, he was emitting so much lust that I was actually worried he was going to take you right then and there. Trust me, I just saved you." I blushed as we walked into class. Seats were moved around the other week, so regrettably I don't sit next to Jasper anymore. He sits in the row of seats behind me while I sit between Angela and Jessica.

"Hi, Bella." Angela said with a warm inviting smile. She looked a lot better than yesterday. Her brown eyes were twinkling and her skin was glowing. Obviously Jacob made her feel better.

"How'd it go?" I whispered while Jessica was preoccupied. She smiled again and leaned over to give me an awkward hug.

"Thank you. I told him and he didn't hate me. I'll have to tell you all about it another time but thank you." She blubbered out quickly.

"Alright, now yesterday we finished watching the Disney version of 'Hercules', so today we'll talk about some of the characters." I was actually glad we decided to watch Hercules, being that it was one of my favorites growing up. Next to Beauty and The Beast, it had to be my favorite.

"Bella Swan?" The teacher called.

"Yes?"

"Did you enjoy this movie?" He asked with a smile. All eyes were on me, but I actually wasn't blushing.

"Well, it happens to be one of my favorites from when I was younger, so yes." I said with a smile. Jessica gave me a thumbs up.

"Oh really? Why?" I was about to start stuttering when I felt a comforting wave of courage and calm. I sent some gratitude to Jasper and took a breath.

"Well, I liked it because of Megara. She wasn't afraid to stand up to someone. She wasn't some little housewife who couldn't take care of herself like some of the other Disney princesses out there. So I guess that's why I liked it." I said confidently. He was pleased with my answer and brought the attention of the glass back to him.

"That's a very good point that I'm glad you brought up…" He started to talk about other Disney movies and how their women portrayal affected society when Jessica nudged me.

"So are you dating Jasper now?" She asked in the quietest voice she could manage. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Jasper smirk behind us.

"No!" I whispered, a little too loudly. We sat up straight when the teacher turned and waited for him to go back to the board. "No, we're not. He was just talking to me about the whole Edward situation." I said quietly. The day I returned and Edward and Rosalie weren't there, Jessica put all the pieces together and figured that they were being scandalous. As much as Jessica wasn't book smart, she certainly knew things quickly. And I've been seeing a different side of her a lately; a much less annoying and a lot kinder side.

"Oh." She pouted, obviously sad that her gossip was ruined. "Besides, I thought you and Emmett were getting together." I was about to respond when we saw the teacher turn and we sat up again.

"See, Meg is a pretty neat character for many reasons. When she's introduced, she's this confident woman who fights the aid of Hercules, even though she really does need it. But then you find out the truth behind the perfect façade she created. She risked her life for the man she loved and for what in return? She's bound by a promise to Hades and he runs off with another woman." I could feel Angela and Jessica's eyes on me as I stared intently at the teacher. For a moment, it sounded as though he were describing my life. Granted, they only thought that because of the whole 'run away with another woman part'.

I was the one that risked my life to save Edward when he tried to kill himself. The cost of saving him meant promising the Volturi that I would be changed into a Vampire.

"So, what does she do?" My teacher asked the class. "She tries to go through the motions and _not_ let this macho Hercules become her world. And we all know how well that turns out. She has an entire musical number about not loving him, only to reveal that she does in the end!" Everyone chuckled but I felt as though I couldn't breathe. "Now, poor Meg knows that her biggest weakness is Hercules just as she is his. That actually scares her so, of course, Hades uses that against both of them. So, like her story began earlier, Meg pushes Hercules out of the way and lets a giant stone column crush her to death."

"The story ends with Hercules choosing Meg, so it should be all confetti and balloons, right?" He asked to no one in particular. "Eric!" He called out to where Eric was sitting in the row ahead of us. He whipped a small foam basketball at him which, thankfully, he caught.

"Yeah?" He asked nervously.

"How do we know that Hercules didn't start an affair with a daughter of Aphrodite?" He asked.

"Uh…we don't?" He sort of stated, sort of asked. Mr. Harris held his hands open and Eric tossed the ball back to him.

"Anthony!" He called while tossing the ball to one of the jocks on the other side of the room. "And how do we know Hercules doesn't eventually choose to be a God and leave her behind?"

"We don't?" Came a gruff voice. The ball was tossed back to him.

"We don't!" He said loudly. "Once those credits roll, the rest is left completely to our imagination. Almost every movie out there does this. Sure, once the big kiss happens everything is resolved for the time being but what about after?" He left the question linger in the air for a while. "I guarantee that all of you in here will fall in love one day. And I mean real love. Not this middle school 'ily' phase where they say 'I love you' after dating a week without ever really going out on a date to begin with. Sure, for one of them that may work, but in reality, that's not what love is. Love is waiting for the person that makes you question everything. Love doesn't always have to be completely spelled out for you. In fact, most of the time, it's right in front of your eyes. Nearly eighty percent of you have already met the person you're going to marry and you're only in high school!" There was a mumbling amongst the class at his words and I broke away to stare out the window into the pouring rain.

"What Meg represents in Hercules isn't about being a perfect, innocent little girl who falls in love with the first man to slip a shoe on her foot and call her pretty. She's made mistakes, as all of us have. She tries to convince herself that she can't be in a relationship because deep down, she's petrified of what that will mean. She's already had her heart crushed by the one person who she probably thought never would, so why would he be any different?" the rain seemed to come down even harder.

"But she took a risk. She pushed all the insecurities aside, all the fear and worry, and took a risk on someone because her heart told her that was the way to go. And yes, because she did that, she got hurt. Just because you find the perfect relationship, doesn't mean you won't get hurt. What makes a relationship better is being able to get through the bad together and make everything work with everything in your power. If she hadn't taken the risk, he would have died and the credits would have rolled leaving some children with some horrible childhood memories. So we don't know what happens after the movie. We don't know if they truly do live happily ever after, but we know that they're happy and together because she took that risk. So maybe, love is spelled right in front of you. But maybe you don't see it because the letters are scrambled."

The bell rang and everyone gathered their stuff and sprinted out of the room. I could hear Jessica fly from her seat next to me. I was still staring out the window, thinking about everything he said.

"Bella?" Angela asked in a small voice.

"He's right." I mumbled.

"Bella?" She asked again. I looked at her and her eyes sparkled. "Well, I know that look anywhere." I smiled and jumped up, wrapping my arms around her in a huge hug. I noticed that Jasper had already left the room, probably so he could get his books situated and be able to watch me like a hawk again.

I grabbed my stuff and we both ran out of the room.

"Great lesson, Mr. Harris!" I shouted.

"Thank you!"

We laughed as we ran to the end of the hallway then down the stairs. She stopped quickly to throw her things in her locker and grab her jacket before she followed me down the hallway. Surprisingly, Jasper wasn't waiting by my locker and I could only pray that Emmett hadn't left yet. _He said he'd see me after school_. I kept chanting in my head. I had just gotten my locker open when Jessica jumped next to me.

"Bella, I took the liberty of going to hunt out Emmett while you got your things. According to my most recent source, he's with Jasper walking towards the parking lot." I had never been more thankful for Jessica's existence in my life. Her phone beeped and she checked it. "Oh, now apparently Lauren hears him talking about heading home without you using Jasper's bike." I didn't think, I just ran away from them despite their callings to the front of the school. Jasper was standing casually under the safety of the over hang.

"Where is he?" I asked without much breath. His eyes widened when he took in my desperate appearance.

"Bella, what happened to you? No one hurt you, did they? I just needed to talk to Emmett-" I cut him off

"Where is he?" I asked again.

"He went to grab your umbrella before heading home…" I didn't hear the rest of what he said because I went running out into the pouring rain. Instantly it felt as though I was weighted an extra twenty pounds from my soaked clothes but I didn't care. I saw his giant form, luckily, straight ahead and went running to him.

Maybe he heard my clumsy steps, but he turned just in time for me to stop in front of him.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked over the rain. I'm sure I looked like a complete idiot. I had ran from my locker before grabbing my jacket so my shirt was clinging to me and my jeans completely drenched. My hair felt like it weighed a ton but I didn't care.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier." I said quickly. "I was scared. And I still am scared. In fact, I'm terrified. But, maybe that's a good thing. Maybe I'm terrified because I know if I were to lose you, it would be the most painful thing in the entire world. Because I know if I had you, it would be everything to me." His honey gold eyes stayed on me like glue and I swallowed once painfully. "When I'm around you, I feel safe. But I also feel all these things I've never felt before that I don't know how to handle it. It's addicting the way you make me feel. I just have this sickening feeling that if I let you in, I'll just get hurt again."

"Bella…" He stated, a slight smile on his face. "I would _never_ hurt you—" I stopped him.

"So then prove me wrong. Show me that I shouldn't be afraid of whatever this is." I told him, breathing heavily still from my run. The rain continued to flood down. "I know that I want you in my life, Emmett. I want you more than I've ever wanted any other person and I just hope you understand that I'm about to let go and just trust my stupid feelings. I'd rather have you in my life every single second of every day than to not have you at all." His smile widened so I hit my hand on his chest. It hurt, but also sounded funny because his t-shirt is drenched.

"Stop smiling!" I complained.

"Never." He promised. "That would make this too easy on you."

I groaned loudly and bit the side of my cheek. "But, in all seriousness Bella, you know I wouldn't hurt you."

"I don't _know_ anything." I clarified when an idea came into my head. "But I do know that I'm going to take a risk. On you." And with that, I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him down to me so I could connect my lips with his. The second it happened, it was like a volcano erupting inside of me. My insides twisted with butterflies and my heartbeat must have doubled in rate. His lips were icy cold but felt so good against mine with the rain. I felt his arm wrap around my waist and pull me as tight as possible against his body. I literally had to lean back slightly so I could continue to kiss him that's how close we were. One of my hands drifted from his strong neck to his hair while the other touched his cheek, just so I was sure he was really there.

Our lips molded to each other's like heaven. I felt his icy tongue run across my lower lip, begging for access, and I was so surprised that I gasped and pulled back slightly. I let out a tiny breathless laugh before he connected our lips again and he smiled against me. There I was, kissing Emmett McCarty Cullen in the pouring rain in my school parking lot like there was no tomorrow. Everything felt right. All I could focus on was the way his lips moved against mine and how he squeezed me slightly when I tugged on his lip.

Suddenly all the noises of the real world came flooding back to me and over the loud sound of the pouring rain, I heard faint cheering. I pulled away from Emmett's vice grip around my waist and turned to see Angela, Jessica, Jasper, and some other kids cheering at us. I couldn't even blush because I was so drenched and cold, so I just laughed and leaned my head against his soaked t-shirt and smiled.

He wrapped his arms around the top of my back and I let my eyes close for a second. This was perfection.

Sadly, our perfect moment had to end and we walked back to where our audience awaited.

"Now that was a show." Jessica said as she held her hair up and fanned herself, a little hot and bothered by our acts. Mike was staring between Emmett, Jessica, and I in complete awe.

"Yay, Bella!" Angela jumped over to me and hugged me tightly. "Oh, you're drenched." She pulled away instantly since the front of her clothes got wet. I laughed.

"Sorry." I said sincerely. She winked at me and giggled.

"It's about damn time!" We both turned to see Jasper high five Emmett. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at them both.

"So wait, does this mean you guys are finally like together?" Jessica asked, shrugging Mike off when he tried to pull her away. I wasn't sure exactly what to say, because together sounded so scary. Emmett just smiled at me and held out his hand, which like so many times before I took instantly.

Once all the commotion settled down and it was just the three of us left Jasper appeared with my umbrella.

"How did you get that?" I asked instantly. "I thought it was in my car."

"Well that's what I told Emmett." He said with a devilish smile. My jaw probably hit the floor.

"You tricked me?" He asked.

"Of course I did. I saw the way Bella's emotions reacted. I knew I just needed to stall you." I wanted to be angry at him, I really did, but I couldn't. Maybe he was manipulating my emotions, but I literally just could not be angry.

Emmett and I drove to my house in my truck while Jasper followed on his motorcycle. Once we were there and inside, Emmett turned to me.

"Carlisle sent me a text telling me they shouldn't be here for another few hours. I'm going to run home and get changed then I'll be back." He gave Jasper this look and I knew it had something to do about my safety.

"Well I'm going to go take a shower." I declared as I walked up the stairs.

"What? No 'Goodbye' kiss?" He called out. I blushed but stopped and turned nonetheless. He smiled and bounded up the steps two at a time until he was eye level with me. He wrapped his arm around me and grabbed my hand before suddenly tossing me into a 'dip' like in dancing. I went to freak out but he stopped me by kissing me fully on the lips.

Just before the universe was obliterated and I lost myself, he pulled away, set me on my feet, and sprinted out the door. It took me a minute to calm myself down and collect my thoughts. Jasper just laughed and sat on the couch to watch useless television when I finally walked up stairs.

The shower was scalding hot but I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

If this was the worst mistake of my life, then it sure as hell felt really good.

I stepped out and wrapped myself in a short black robe _Alice_ had bought me. I padded into my bedroom and shut the door. I started humming to myself as I looked for clothes to wear when a breeze came in through the window. I ran to the window and slammed it shut, mentally cursing everything that got wet.

I didn't even remember leaving it open.

I sighed and got changed into a green sweater and darkwash skinny jeans. I jogged down the steps to find Jasper standing and waiting for me.

"Emmett called. He said that Alice and him were going to go out and talk. Carlisle and Esme want to talk to us before Edward and Rosalie get back. Is that okay with you?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's fine." To be honest, I was nervous about it and I'm sure he saw right through me but he nodded and followed me outside. The rain had calmed for the time being and only fell in a slight mist.

"I think running might be the best way to get you there and back quickly." He offered while holding out his arms. I smiled and moved closer to him so he could pick me up.

"Jasper?" I asked as he walked towards the tree line. He hummed. "Does my scent not bother you anymore?" It's been itching my mind all day.

He laughed. "Sure it does. But you've changed me for the better, miss Bella. I'm getting so much better." I smiled and he started running. I buried my head into his shirt as my hair blew from the speed and I just counted from thirty to one slowly so I wouldn't pass out. "We're here." He said before I could reach one. He carefully set me on my feet on the front step of the Cullen household and made sure I was steady before walking us into the house.

"Bella." Esme said as she rushed to my side. There was so much sadness in her eyes. "I'm so sorry." She explained before throwing her arms around me into a rock hard hug. I smiled sadly and held her back. I hated that I caused so much drama in this house.

"Don't worry about it, Esme." I assured her once she pulled away. She cupped my cheek and smiled.

"You're too good to us." I laughed with her and turned to Carlisle.

"Please don't say you're sorry." I warned him. He smiled his charming, ageless smile.

"Fair enough. I'm very glad you're here, Bella." He said. I smiled at him. "Oh, I do believe congratulations are in order." He said while raising an eyebrow at me. I blushed instantly like a tomato, which made Jasper laugh. Esme's eyes twinkled like stars and a huge smile spread over her face.

"Guess he can't keep anything quiet." I mumbled, making them laugh.

"Well after a show like _that_, how couldn't he tell?" Jasper offered making me blush again as I thought of my earlier actions. Carlisle and Esme just gave me these happy knowing smiles and pulled me to them to hug again. I let my eyes shut as my second parents held me tightly.

"I don't blame you guys, for anything." I said with a smile.

"We appreciate that, Bella." Carlisle said with a smile. They turned to Jasper and since I didn't want to intrude, I walked up the steps. I found myself in the large Cullen bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror again. My cheeks were still rosy from all my blushing and every time I looked at my lips, a strange shock went through my body as I thought of the way they felt against Emmett's.

I walked out of the bathroom and looked down the hall towards Edward's room. I bit my lip and contemplated getting those gloves I know are in there and decided to just go for it. Pushing open the door send this small shudder down my spin as the brightness of all the windows in his room reflected off every little piece of furniture. His largest window was open, like always.

I stepped inside and instantly got this cold feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Just get the gloves." I said to myself. I scanned the room for them and carefully avoided anything of Rosalie's—such as the mountains of makeup on the vanity. I was just about to give up and go ask Esme if she had seen them, when something caught my eye near the bedside table.

I walked over and crouched down to find my fingerless, incredibly warm gloves. I smiled victoriously and stood, staring at my accomplishment.

A cold breeze from the window came and that reminded me to get out of the room since I felt so uncomfortable. I turned to walk out the door the second the hair on the back of my neck stood straight. Something quick registered in my eye and I whipped towards the window to see what it was. I almost didn't recognize him.

Sure, he still looked the same, I suppose. His tall, muscular body was fitted into what was probably a _very_ expensive sweater. His bronze hair was as disheveled as always and those dazzling pearly whites were formed into that same crooked smile—although his smile was small and confused. The thing I couldn't get past, were his eyes. Of course they were still honey gold like the familiar ones I'd grown to trust, but something about them seemed brighter and a lot more sinister.

Probably feeling my sudden spike in fear, Jasper's body suddenly appeared in front of me, crouched and snarling.

"Hello, Bella." His voice was still velvet, just as I suspected it would be. His eyes didn't leave Jasper as I spoke, probably because he knew Jasper was more than capable of ripping off his arms.

"Hi, Edward." I swallowed a hard lump in my throat. Jasper growled again and I took a deep breath, knowing that any spike in my emotions could send in him into an outrage. I carefully placed my hand on his shoulder, feeling the stone muscles instantly relax beneath them. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward reach out, as though to detain me for doing something so 'dangerous' but Jasper instantly snapped in his direction and growled again.

Like a smart man, he slowly dropped his hand to his side.

"It's okay, Jasper." I cooed, placing my hand back on his shoulder. He stood straight, but never took his eyes off the bastard.

"You're early." Jasper seethed.

"I didn't think a few hours would make a difference. Apparently, I was wrong." He stared at me as he spoke and I shuddered. I _never_ wanted him to look at me that way again.

"Let's go, Bella." Jasper said coolly as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, getting ready to walk us out the room. I briefly wondered where Carlisle and Esme had gone to.

"I want to talk to her!" Edward said quickly. I winced because I was afraid of that. He turned us back towards Edward and I cowered into Jasper's side. He promised he'd protect me. Edward noted the extreme closeness between us. "Jasper, are you sure you should be around her right now? Are you under control?" I made this tiny laugh at that before Jasper growled again, tightening his grip around me.

"Don't ever doubt my control around her, Edward. A lot has changed." I briefly noted Carlisle and Esme appeared at the doorway, quiet but worried. "_I_ would never hurt her." I didn't miss the way his voice turned to accusation and I certainly didn't miss the way Edward winced, probably at something he heard.

"I see you two are much…closer." Edward noted, still staring between us. "Does Alice know about you two?" A hundred times faster than I've ever seen Jasper move, he was suddenly away from me and in front of Edward, hand around his throat.

"Don't you _dare_ accuse me of cheating on my wife. I may be angry with her at the moment but nothing would ever bring me down to your level." Jasper's voice was dark, and almost unrecognizable. Edward's eyes were wide as he tried to pry the hands from his throat. "What? You don't like your throat being squeezed? Funny, you seemed okay with it when your mate was doing it to Bella." That time, I know I wasn't imagining anything. It sounded as though there were two people speaking at the same exact time.

I looked over to Carlisle and Esme, who were frozen with fear. I tried to get their attention but it was as though they had turned to stone. Wait…they told me about this. Jasper's time in the wars forced him to create an 'alter-ego' per say this way the guilt of what he was doing wouldn't overcome him. I don't know why I wasn't frozen with fear, being that everyone else apparently does when he comes out, but I wasn't going to risk anything. I know this side of him is supposed to be deadly and ferocious. As much as I didn't like Edward right now, I most certainly didn't want him dead.

"Jasper?" I called out as I saw Edward's neck crack slightly, like a rock under extreme pressure. "Jasper!" I shouted again, hoping to jar him from this state. Then, like a tiny light bulb, I remembered. "Major Whitlock!" Instantly, the hand around Edward's neck dropped and Jasper staggered backwards into the arms of an awaiting Carlisle and Esme.

"Thank you, Bella. I'm sorry we got frozen." Carlisle apologized as Esme tended to Jasper. He was on the floor now against the wall with this dazed look on his face, like someone who was drunk or hypnotized. He stared at me with pleading eyes and I smiled, letting him calm down from whatever fears he was experiencing. I turned to Edward, whose neck was almost completely healed.

"Hello, son." Carlisle said without making any move to go and meet with him.

"Hello? Hello? Jasper just tried to kill me and all you have to say is 'hello'? I told you he was unstable! Bella could've been killed!" He yelled. I could feel the shame project from Jasper and I was fueled with rage.

"Jasper wouldn't have tried to kill you if you hadn't provoked him, Edward! And my safety is absolutely none of your concern anymore." I snapped at him before Carlisle could.

"Bella, how can you still be around him? You just saw what he was capable of!" He snapped at me this time. If I was a vampire, there was no doubt in my mind that I would have growled at him.

"Because he swore on his life to protect me. He promised as a soldier. He wouldn't have hurt me." That seemed to shut him up. Jasper was finally coming back to normal and I was filled with relief.

"Bella, I want to talk to you." He pleaded.

"We're talking now, Edward." Unconsciously, my fingers ran over the part of my arm he had broken a couple of weeks ago. It was out of the cast, thank goodness, but I still wrapped it in gauze to be sure.

"I mean without…distractions." He made it quite clear to everyone else in the room.

"No way am I comfortable talking to you by myself. Either he's here, or we don't talk." I said pointing to a now standing Jasper.

I could tell he didn't like it, so I smiled. Seeing he wasn't going to win, he just nodded. I turned to Carlisle and Esme.

"We're fine with giving you privacy, so long as you're outside." Carlisle said and I wondered why, but was too fired up to ask. Jasper kept his hand on the small of my back as he led me down the stairs and out to their giant backyard area, which would still keep us from the drizzling rain.

When it was just the three of us, no one moved for a few minutes. I'm sure Jasper was already starting things by angering Edward with his thoughts, but no one spoke.

"Bella, I'm a horrible person for what I did to you. I shouldn't even be called a man anymore, because I am a monster. I betrayed not only your love, but your trust and your friendship." He started pleading suddenly. "I should have listened to you when you wanted to help Emmett and I was wrong to be with you once I discovered about Rosalie and myself. I was so terrified of what would happen."

Lame.

"I feel so terribly guilty once I found out I had broken your arm. I was right all along, we're too dangerous for you to be around. When Rosalie attacked you, I wasn't there for you like I should have been. Whether or not we were together shouldn't have mattered and because of that, your life was in danger." I sighed, hoping he was done. But of course, he just had to keep talking.

"I deceived you and I am very sorry that I not only hurt you mentally, but also physically. I'm glad you came out today to see me." He finished with a smile on his face. I waited a second, to see if he was joking, before laughing once.

"I didn't come out here to see you." I clarified. His head tilted slightly in confusion.

"Well why else would you be here?" He questioned. I am almost positive, for a split second, I saw red.

"Because I still love this family."

"You mean you still come here?" He was so confused, as though it were the most incredulous idea in the world.

"Of course I do. It just so happens I'm mad at Alice, but I still come here." I just wanted to smack him senseless. He waited a second before laughing at these 'insane' thoughts. He pinched the bridge of his nose and I rolled my eyes, making Jasper smile at me. He knew how much I _hated_ when he did that.

"Okay, then."

"Where's Rosalie?" Jasper asked a little suspiciously.

"She wanted to spend a little more time with Tanya before coming back." Was his immediate response. I turned to Jasper, not really wanting to talk to Edward anymore. I really didn't have it in me to fight with him after my happy day.

"When will Emmett be getting back?" I asked, almost desperately. Edward sighed, as though still not pleased with mine and Emmett's 'friendship.'

"Hopefully soon. I should call him…" Jasper trailed off in thought, no doubt thinking about Alice.

"Bella?" Edward asked. I looked at him. He seemed to be waiting for something. "Don't you have anything to say to me?" I thought about everything I'd said to him the day he left and decided that was all good.

"Nope."

"No apology?" He gasped in surprise. Jasper growled at the same time my jaw dropped.

"And for what—exactly—do _I_ have to be apologizing for, Edward?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips. "Bringing back your brother from a desolate state? Trying to plan _our_ wedding together when I thought you wanted more time with me? Or maybe for throwing your mother's ring at you after your mate tried to both choke, and crush me? No? Well what about being close with Jasper, hmm? Is that what you're waiting for?" I snapped at him, walking closer to him with each accusation. "Or was it that I was finally starting to see the light with Jacob, only to have him imprint on Angela, yup, that I should apologize for. Oh, no. I know what it is now. I must have offended your fucking girlfriend somehow, didn't I? Well, then, golly-gee, sorry about that." I hissed at him. A light flickered in his eyes, like flames. Maybe neither of us were expecting it, but Edward was suddenly inches from my face.

"Watch your language, Bella. It's not befitting of a lady to use it." He warned in a dark voice. I didn't blink, I didn't even faze.

"You have no _fucking_ right to tell me what to _fucking _say, Edward. Now get out of my face." I shouted at him. I didn't have time to register fear when I saw those flames flicker in his eyes again, he raised his hand, as though to slap me, and before Jasper could get to me, a loud crack sounded throughout my ears. I waited for the pain of a shattered jaw but opened my eyes to see no one there.

Noises equivalent to animals fighting caught my attention. I watched in awe as Edward was easily wrestled to the ground not by Jasper.

"Emmett!" I called once he had his arms behind his back and was sitting on them, causing Edward to squirm beneath him.

He gave a smile a wink and I looked to Jasper who was so shocked.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I don't know what happened. Something in his eyes confused me." I was relieved that I wasn't the only one who saw it. "I almost failed you." I could hear the anger and regret in his voice.

"But you didn't, Jasper." I reminded him, pressing my palm against his cheek. Behind him suddenly, I saw Alice for the first time since yesterday.

Jasper turned and nothing but the sound of Edward's whimpers from the dirt could be heard. "Can we talk?" Alice asked hopefully. She looked like a little school girl right now. Her hands were behind her back, she was looking down, and swaying on her feet awkwardly.

At first, I was worried that Jasper wouldn't go with her. Then, he held out his hand. "Come on, Darlin'." She smiled like the sun and took his hand. They're cute little moment was ruined by the terrible shriek that was worse than a bat from hell. We all turned to see a blur of blonde rush and hit Emmett, causing him to go flying. I freaked out, of course, and went running after him.

"Bella." She sneered as she helped her precious Edward to his feet.

"Rosalie." I ran past them to where Emmett was getting on his feet. He was so angry he saw right over me but I placed my hands on his chest and he instantly calmed.

"Relax." I commanded. He stared at me for what could have been forever, not that I cared, before letting out a breath and smiling slightly.

"He tried to hurt you. I should tear his arms off." He said in a pretty cheery way. I smiled and hugged him.

"I'm so done getting angry about them. I don't care." I breathed in his perfect scent and smiled.

"Excuse me." I heard, and ignored, Rosalie from behind us.

Jasper came over, hand-in-hand with Alice to make sure we were Okay.

"You'll talk to me later?" Alice asked hopefully as they passed. I couldn't find it within me to smile, but I did nod. They went inside the house. Then there was us four. Two had betrayed the others, and two had been crushed by them. I turned to Emmett and he smiled that perfect dimple filled smile.

A disgusted noise came from the side of us. "You mean to tell me that you still cling to her because she saved you?" Rosalie complained. We didn't even bother looking at her, we just looked at each other. "And shouldn't you be racing motorcycles to get over _my_ love here?" She asked. I laughed and so did Emmett. I turned to the two of them.

"Actually, I moved on from him." I said confidently. The cocky look in his face fell slightly, as though he were expecting the weak frail, somewhat suicidal girl.

"You mean someone found it in their hearts to love a dog?" Rosalie sneered. Carlisle and Esme came out of the house then, probably and hopefully to beat them silly when another one of my brilliant ideas came into my mind.

"I know, it's surprising." I mocked her. She smiled and clung herself to Edward. Well, it was now or never. I turned to Emmett and raised my eyebrow. He gave me his signature half smile before pulling me abruptly against him, tilting my head back, and kissing me so hard I almost saw stars.

Just like before, everything just stopped. No one was in the world but us. I could only focus on the way his lips moved in a dominant and powerful manner, making my knees buckle more. I wrapped my arms around his strong neck and pulled myself up slightly for better access, loving the way he smiled against my lips. Much, _much_, too soon I needed air and we broke away from each other, smiling and laughing a little. What was it about him that made me feel so free?

When we remembered our audience, we turned to see Edward and Rosalie both staring at us, their jaws dropped completely, and anger flashing in their eyes. Behind them, Carlisle and Esme were trying not to laugh, but smiling at us fully. I looked back up at Emmett and smiled. He leaned down to give me another, brief, but still blinding kiss before pulling away. We turned to them all completely and he intertwined his fingers with mine.

That was what probably caused chaos for the next couple hours.

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><p><strong>HEY GUYS! My god, I'm so in love with you all I could bake each and every one of you a batch of cookies! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I hate to leave it at that, but I already wrote like over 1300+ Words and 22 pages worth and I need to have lots of stuff to do next chapter! I'm going to be answering some reviewers, the ones with the major questions and stuff, but just know that it's because you guys reviewed I was able to get this chapter done and out to you guys so quickly. (Hey, for me it's quick.) There were so many reviews for my last chapter, maybe even like 50+ and I really want to say Thank You.<strong>

**I was SO into writing it for you guys! Please don't stop reviewing! I am REALLY going to need your feedback for this chapter in order to get my next one out in a good amount of time, and have make any lick of sense. In case you couldn't tell, I write a whole lot different/better when I have motivation.**

**Yeah, talk about Alice, right? SO confusing. What did you think of her calling Eddie and Rosie back home?**

**I liked letting Charlie back in this story, didn't you?**

**Ahhh, Bella freaking out about wanting to be with Emmett. I know I've been there, when I like someone that I know I shouldn't because I know that they'll hurt me. It's rough. I don't like it. Hence, the reason I don't date right now! But, how crushed were you? I was sad. ):**

**Hercules is THEE movie, ya'll. Hahaha. I just thought it'd be a nice way of having Bella realize she's really scared, but that it's okay. My teacher gave a lesson on it once, that's where I got my motivation.**

**THAT MOMENT YOU ALL WERE WAITING FOR! Yes, they kissed. About damn time, too. I know a LOT of you reviewed that you just wanted them to 'shut up and get together already' so I hoped you like their steamy make-out session in the pouring, pouring rain. Yum, Emmett.**

**Jasper and Bella's friendship, especially shining in this chapter, is so important to me. I hope you guys liked their bonding from Alice being a loon, and I hope you liked his almost-killing Edward deal earlier. I've read a lot of stories about him turning into 'The Major' but they never say why really. Jasper really is her soldier, I love it. :3 So I hope my explanation and quick glimpse at him made you guys happy. He and Alice love each other, so don't get upset that he's willing to talk to her. He misses her. A lot.**

**And, alas. Eddie and Rosie are back. Booo. Sorry you guys. But it had to be eventually.**

**I wish i had a sneak peak for you guys, but right now I'm unsure of where the chapter is going, so i can't really spoil anything right now. :/ sorry, I promise it'll be worth it so long as I have your input!**

**Sooo, I hope you guys liked this chapter, cause it was seriously a ball to right. I was definitely listening to 'I wont Say I'm In Love' a lot. Haha (: You guys are the best, I'm in such a good mood. Haha! A much more violent fight between Edward and Emmett will be next chapter, just saying.**

**Sorry for errors that may, and probably were, throughout the chapter. I don't use a Beta. I try to proof-read, but I'm human.**

**Okay! Review! I left you such wonderful topics to talk about! Tell me lines that you liked! Let me know if you didn't like it. Seriously, anything. Love, love, love you guys.**

**~Pepper**


	11. Chapter 11 Panic

**I want to wrap you all up in a bundle of warmth and hug you all. Thank you so much for your reviews and feedback on this story. We just broke 200 reviews! Can you believe it? I most certainly can't!**

**There wasn't a whole lot of reviews for my last chapter but once again, to those who did review, a huge and happy THANK YOU from me. They really gave me some great feed back about where I wanted this chapter to go! I'm not entirely sure how it's going to finish yet, but I'll figure it out as I write it, like always!**

**Okay! So let's talk, shall we?**

**I thought comparing Hercules to Emmett and Bella's situation was a very risky thought, but from your reviews, I think I got it down perfectly. A lot of you were able to connect to Bella's feelings of fear and that was exactly where I was going. If you haven't watched Hercules lately, I highly recommend that you do! It's a great stress reliever. (:**

**A lot of you caught on to Alice's weirdness lately. I know, I know. 'How can she do that to Bella?' 'I think she might be evil' Well, there IS something up with her, but I can't give too much away. Yes, she really fucked up by calling them back and reeeaaally fucked with Jasper's trust. Bella will not be completely forgiving her, and for a while, Jasper is going to be very strange with her. **

**Jasper and Bella's friendship is so important to me. I'm glad you all love it too!**

**Yay! Emmett and Bella kissed. I'm glad you guys enjoyed their steamy hotness. **

**A lot of you are still irked that I bring up Angela and Jacob up so much in this story, but I like I've said before, if this story goes where I eventually want it to go, then they need to have an active role here. **

**If you guys want the next chapter, you're going to have to review. A lot. Not to sound annoying, but I do have like 5 other stories that could use some of my time, so the more reviews, the better it is for you. **

**Hope you enjoy**

**By the way, follow me on twitter at _PepperHereWrite_ for questions/answers, sneak peeks, and updates on how stories are going. Send me a follow request, and I'll accept you! I just don't want random creepy people following me, you understand don't you?**

**Also, I apologize in advance for any errors. I am one girl who types too damn fast so with no Beta, so I'm sorry.**

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><p><strong>Bella POV<strong>

Our perfect moment of shoving happiness back at Edward and Rosalie was completely ruined after just a few short seconds. Emmett, whose arm was around my shoulder, disappeared among a blur of white. I whipped around as the gust of wind hit me and saw Edward and Emmett fighting like barely visible blurs of white. This wasn't the fighting like before.

They were out for blood. So to speak.

Snarls like vicious animals echoed in the backyard of the Cullen's house and the fought towards the tree line. My heart started to beat violently in my ears as I heard their sounds get louder.

I was actually scared for Emmett. I knew that in strength terms, Emmett could destroy him. But it was Edward's speed that scared me the most.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight when I realized that my back was to the woman who a few weeks ago tried to kill me. I turned suddenly and almost instantly collided with a granite wall.

Locks of Blonde made my blood ran cold but only for a second. I was facing the back of my familiar Soldier who was crouched defensively in front of me. Across from him crouched Rosalie, her lips pulled back into a menacing smile.

How did Jasper get here so fast? I thought he and Alice disappeared!

"Jasper." I breathed in relief. His hand twitched, signaling to me that he heard me and he was here.

"Move out of my way, Jasper." Rosalie's voice was like poison ice and sent chills down my spine.

"Rosalie, if you were smart you would stand down." Jasper's voice was tense and each word was spoken slowly and carefully. The loud snarls and collisions of Edward and Emmett echoed behind me but I didn't dare turn to look. As though sensing my issue, he opened his palm, signaling me to stay where I was.

Carlisle and Esme slowly approached behind Rosalie, as to not alarm her. Carlisle and her shared a brief look before he decided to come around the side and make his presence known.

"Get away from me, Carlisle. I don't want to hurt you." Rosalie spat.

"So then don't." Came his calm voice.

"Don't spit your calming speeches at me, Carlisle. I won't listen. Just let me dispose of the rodent infestation." Her eyes didn't leave Jasper's as she spoke, but I swore I could feel her looking at me. I was so terrified to move that I was even afraid to breathe in too deeply.

"Rosalie!" Carlisle snapped, actually making her flinch. "You will stop this fighting, instantly. We haven't yet decided whether or not on your acceptance back into the family, and if you attack Bella, I swear that there will be severe consequences." His voice was grave and serious, scaring even me slightly. I barely noticed Alice had appeared by Esme, who was waiting for a signal of some sort.

Emmett and Edward were still fighting and by the sounds of things, they weren't letting up on each other. I knew that we had to focus on one thing at a time, and being that I couldn't move from this spot, I guess it'd be Rosalie.

Venom was slightly pooling in her eyes.

"I won't let her ruin this life!" She shrieked. It almost reminded me of the psycho girls in the jail shows who go crazy and kill their husband. "Move so I can kill her!" She shrieked again.

When I remembered her background story, I wasn't surprised by these actions.

Jasper growled and my insides froze. Rosalie's eyes widened slightly and Carlisle immediately shut his eyes. Behind Rosalie, Esme and Alice did the same.

"You _dare_ try to attempt to get past me?" Just like earlier in Edward's room, his voice was split into two. I could hear Jasper's normal, gentleman voice underneath this terrifying murderous tone.

"J-Jasper." She tried to plead, only earning a loud snarl in response from him. I wanted to move but just like before, his hand flicked and I realized that it was Jasper, still trying to protect me underneath this Major.

"Don't you dare address me in such a way." The second voice, the voice I'd grown so accustomed to, was gone. This voice was that of the Major I had heard stories about. Looking at Rosalie, it was straight from a horror movie. It started from her feet. It was this strange hardening like concrete drying all the way up until she was frozen like a statue. Her eyes though weren't frozen and displayed the true fear she was feeling. Jasper's head cocked to the side so fast, it was as though it just teleported that way. The look in Rosalie's eyes became this mixture of pure terror and pain.

I knew I had to stop this, now.

"Jasper." I started. I didn't get a response. I noticed Alice wrapping a scarf around her eyes, so she wouldn't' see Jasper's. By the looks of things, the Major's gaze could immobilize someone completely if he so chose to. The sounds behind me stopped as they realized the situation. "Jasper!" I said with more force in my throat.

Still nothing.

"Major!" This made him flinch slightly, but still didn't break him like it did earlier. I could see Rosalie's mouth trying to open, probably to release a terrible scream of pain that Jasper was forcing upon her and as much as I hated her, I couldn't let him kill her. "Major Jasper Whitlock!" He stood straight instantly but I could tell it didn't break. I was getting closer, but I was running out of ideas.

I knew I had to immobilize him in some way before I tried calling for him. I saw Alice take a few steps towards us and Jasper growled so viciously, she instantly froze in her step.

"Alice, stay back!" I warned her. Her mouth twitched into a smile and she went to protest, but I told her to just listen to me. Her lips tugged down slightly and I couldn't help but to be so angry at her.

Behind me, there was no sound at all so I was almost positive that they weren't even there, even though I could feel Emmett's presence there. It was his presence that gave me confidence, and Edward's presence that gave me inspiration.

Although I promised myself I would never put my body through the torture again, I closed my eyes and thought of when Edward left me. Almost instantly, it felt as though my insides tore open from the mere memory. Maybe Jasper's emotions were so out of whack that every normal emotion was heightened. Either way, he leaned over a little, as though his stomach hurt and I almost smiled.

It was working.

I brought back the memories of each lonely, terrifying night of horrible murderous nightmares that made me wake up screaming so loud, my father feared for my sanity. Tears were already swelling in my eyes from the immense pain I felt.

I can't believe I let Edward effect me that much.

I peeked through on eye and saw him swaying slightly and Rosalie slowly coming back to. Someone shouted to Carlisle, I couldn't be sure who, but he looked at us as Alice removed her scarf.

I closed my eyes and focused again. I could practically feel the adrenaline rush as I risked my life just so I could hear Edward, which only ended up tearing me open later. The hollowness, the loneliness, the fear, the pain, the heartbreak, the suicidal thoughts; I pushed them all at him.

I wasn't stopping there. I thought of Jacob and how it felt to say goodbye to him and how it simply reopened the wound within me and threw that at him to. My knees wobbled but I continued to fight it.

I opened my eyes through the tears I knew to be pouring down my face to see Jasper holding his head. He turned to me and I looked at the complete despair within them. He was almost back. With one final push of my insides ripping I saw his own knees quiver and watched as he relieved a huge gust of air.

"Major Jasper Whitlock." His eyes, which were fully black and dilated, instantly became the gold ones I was accustomed to and we both crumpled to our knees at the same time. Although he couldn't cry like I was, there was so much venom pooling in his eyes I knew it had to be the same as me.

My stomach felt sore and cold from the memories. Jasper and I just looked at each other, me looking up at him since he was taller than me even when we on our knees, panting heavily.

I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and I quickly willed the emotional link to close, not wanting him to experience it. Emmett crouched down next to me and took my hand between both of his, bringing it up to kiss. I sniffed and smiled through my tears. He smiled sadly at me.

"Bells, remember. It's you and me. Don't shut me out of this." I wanted to protest and warn him that it was too much of a burden to bare, but I was so exhausted, and in so much pain that I couldn't help but to open the link like flood gates. Emmett almost collapsed instantly from it before putting on a brave face. I looked back to Jasper, who was breathing in slow deep breaths.

I suddenly realized that having to breath in human scent must be making this a lot more difficult than it has to be but before I could move, he reached out and grabbed my free hand.

"No." He choked out. "I need your humanity." I just relaxed onto my knees and nodded. It was just like with Emmett when he slipped up, so I couldn't fight it. Behind him, Edward was crouched in front of Rosalie, who was laying on her side, breathing hysterically and sobbing. If she could cry, there was no doubt in my mind she would be. I shuddered at the thought of experiencing all that excruciating pain and not being able to get help. He cooed to her and seemed completely oblivious to us, which was good. I didn't need him freaking out at all the vampire contact I was in the moment. Plus, I didn't want him to know about the emotion link. I looked to Emmett, who was managing to breath again and he just nodded in understanding.

Carlisle walked over to the three of us hesitantly. "Bella?" I looked up at him and smiled, even though there was still tears slipping down my cheeks and I felt exhausted. Esme was flocking between all of us in a motherly panic, while Alice just stared in complete shock. It could have been forever, but eventually, Esme guided Edward and still-slightly-hysterical Rosalie inside. I honestly couldn't blame her. I _never_ wanted to be frozen and going through whatever it was the Major put her through. Alice followed them inside.

"How…what did you do?" Jasper asked me as he was beginning to compose himself. I swallowed and realized that Carlisle and Emmett were listening for an answer to.

"You weren't…responding when I called for you so I figured I had to immobilize you like you did to Rosalie in a way." I explained.

"But how?" Jasper asked in pure amazement. I instantly felt the shame and looked down at the dirt we were currently kneeling in.

"I thought of all the memories from when…you guys left and focused on sending the pain to you." My neck felt hot from embarrassment. After too long moments of silence, I looked up to see the three of them staring at me in shock. "I'm sorry. It was the only thing I thought of!" I had barely finished speaking before cold arms were thrown around me and I was pulled into a tight hug.

Jasper had this wonderful smell that reminded me Phoenix and the hot summer winds. I hugged him back, letting go of Emmett's hand, instantly wincing as the pain I had been sending to him came back. Jasper squeezed me just a little bit tighter.

"Bella, I am in no way upset with you. You probably just saved my life, and Rosalie's. I am just amazed that you were able to do that, especially as a human." Jasper explained quietly. We pulled away and I stared at him quizzically.

"You've met Vampires who could do that?" I asked, surprised. I didn't think it was anything super special.

"Well, take Jasper as an example, Bella. He can project his emotions onto other people. That's essentially what you were just capable of." Carlisle explained for him. Understanding hit me and I nodded, trying to force myself not to think of it.

Jasper leaned forward and his cold lips grazed my ear.

"Bella, I am so sorry for the pain we caused you when we left." Jasper's voice was grave and so sad that I had to smile and touch his hand gently.

"Please, don't feel bad. After all, it did just save your life." He smirked and stood slowly and stretched, as though he hadn't moved in a while. I tried to get up but I felt arms go behind my knees and pick me up bridal style.

I wrapped my arms around Emmett's neck instinctually and couldn't break the gaze we were sharing. He carefully set me on my feet, but I never lowered my hands.

"I can't believe how fantastic it is that I know you." He whispered in astonishment, making me blush a little. I shrugged as though it were no big deal and smiled at him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and smiled. I'm sure we looked so cheesy—my hands wrapped up around his neck and his around my waist.

"Well, word on the street is, I'm pretty amazing." He lowered his face to mine and brushed his lips against mine for a single moment before pulling away and holding my hand.

"Yeah, I already knew that." We turned to Jasper and Carlisle, who were talking so quietly I couldn't understand anything they said but stopped when they noticed we turned to them.

"Jasper?" I asked. I felt so bad for him. His eyes were exhausted and he seemed oddly frail compared to the terrifying creature I just saw a little bit ago. "No offense because I'm glad you showed up when you did, but where were you?" I couldn't help but to be slightly bothered by the fact that he almost let me get hurt. His expression fell.

"I don't know. I was inside my room with Alice, and all of a sudden, I could practically hear the Major in my head, telling me that I was going to fail my promise if I didn't open my ears. Then all of a sudden, I could hear everything that was happening and got out here as soon as I could. I didn't even notice that everything was…missing. It was as though all my senses were brought back down to human standards." I would definitely have to find out about that.

"Well, I think we have much to talk about. Shall we?" Carlisle asked as he gestured to the house. We were all walking that way when Edward suddenly appeared. I hoped that Jasper would remain calm.

"Bella, that was remarkable." He was staring at me with this twinkle in his eyes that reminded me of when I first met him. Except now, it was almost scary.

"Thanks." I grunted awkwardly. He started walking towards me, as though he didn't see the three vampires around me.

"I'm serious." He tried to speak again, But Emmett was blocking his way.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't get too close to Bella. You understand, don't you?" Emmett's sarcastic voice made me giggle slightly. Jasper walked over to me and wrapped his arm around me, sighing heavily.

"Jasper! You just tried to kill my Rose and now you're going to go back to hanging around with Bella? Care to explain that logic?" Edward's pretentious voice made my skin crawl with anger.

"You'd do well to not insult my brother." Emmett growled menacingly.

"_I_ am your brother, Emmett. We have the same venom running through us. So don't try and tell me that Jasper is your brother." I rolled my eyes and wasn't all that surprised when Emmett punched Edward square in the face.

"You are _not_ my brother. You broke that bond." And with that they were fighting again just as viciously as they were earlier. I was little nervous again, but Jasper gave me a reassuring squeeze.

"Let them fight this out." He whispered to me. His voice was still far away in both thought and as though he was slightly intoxicated. I leaned against him when he started to calm my emotions and suddenly felt very tired as I watched the blurs attack.

All of a sudden, Emmett had Edward face down in the dirt like he did earlier, but this time there was no humor in his eyes.

"I'm not going to tear your arms off because my girlfriend is here and our mother is right inside, but I swear to fucking God, Eddie Boy, if you threaten Bella or insult Jasper again, I will ship your arms all the way to Italy for the Volturi to play with." Emmett's voice was deep and menacing as his spat in Edward's ear.

He pushed off of him and stood straight. Edward was in the process of standing when Emmett's eyes glinted deviously.

"Oh." He turned around, pulled back his hand, and slapped Edward so hard across the face I winced at the loud crack. "If you ever threaten to hit or hurt my girlfriend, I won't go easy on you again."

Once that whole commotion was settled, the entire Cullen household found their way into the dining room. Rosalie's venom was still glossing her eyes and she barely lifted her head to look at Emmett and I as we entered.

"Well, there certainly has been a lot of commotion today." Carlisle started one everyone found a seat. "Edward and Rosalie, you know that it was my final decision to send you two away for the month so you should have realized that it was my permission you needed to return. Also, you returned earlier than the time you told Alice, which caused much more issues than we needed. Then Edward, you threatened Bella and fought with Emmett while you, Rosalie, tried once again to attack her. And _both_ of you caused great distress on Jasper." Carlisle finished after speaking calm and collected. Jasper's eyes were still tired and Alice was staring with this strange, faraway look in her eyes.

I was _so_ angry with her.

"Jasper." Edward started. "I am very sorry that I caused that pain on you. I shouldn't have provoked you, and I apologize." I was actually impressive by Edward's apology, being that usually he liked to take the blame and pass onto everyone else.

Jasper stared at him for a long moment, probably showing him some thoughts before Edward sighed. "Also, it was wrong for me to say you are not a member of this family." His voice was tight but Jasper nodded at him anyway.

"Jasper." Rosalie's voice caught me completely by surprise. I looked over to see her taking calm breaths as she looked at the man she spent years pretending to be twins with. "I'm so sorry." They stared at each other for a long time, having a silent conversation no one, well probably Edward, could understand before Jasper nodded. "And…Bella?" I would have passed out if Emmett's cold hand didn't reach out to squeeze my knee under the table. "It was wrong of me to try and hurt you. But even when I did, you still managed to save me and I'm not that self-centered to not be appreciative of that fact. So, thank you." I think everyone was completely caught off guard by her statement. I nodded but couldn't bring myself to speak because my throat felt dry.

There was an unsettling pause, probably because everyone was waiting for Edward to apologize but when he said nothing, Carlisle continued. "Well, I'm very…conflicted about what should happen from here out. Don't get me wrong, I love you both, however, if Bella is constantly at risk with your arrival home, then I have to side with her. So Bella, what is your opinion on the matter?" All eyes were on me and I suddenly felt completely nervous and uncomfortable.

My shoulders relaxed and my heartbeat slowed to a healthy level as Jasper sent me a good dose of calm. I smiled at him and he grinned ever so slightly.

"I…I hate the thought of separating this family any more than I already have." I started. Emmett immediately opened his mouth to speak but I lifted my hand to silence him. "Edward, Rosalie, you both hurt me in ways that I'll never be able to forget about. I've felt humiliated and scared for my own safety in the process, but the sick part is, if it didn't happen, I wouldn't be where I am right now." I made a point of grabbing Emmett's hand and placing them on the table. I didn't miss the way Rosalie's eyes hardened and Edward's lips were in a tight line. "I don't care if it sounds dumb, but I think I'm finally okay with where I am right now and I'm just ready to put all this drama behind us."

"So you would be comfortable with them moving back in?" Carlisle asked curiously. I bit my lip and know I left everyone unsettled with my brief silence.

"To be completely honest, I don't think I'm afraid of Rosalie. All things considered she's the one I should be afraid of, but I'm not. I am, however, uncomfortable about being around Edward." His eyes flickered like they did earlier, as though there were flames in them and I forced down a shudder. "As long as I'm not put in the situation of having to be alone with him, the decision is yours." He seemed offended that I was afraid of him, but I wasn't ashamed to admit it. That look in his eyes was haunting and I'd be damned if I was going to be alone with him.

"Very well." There was a long pause as he thought. I looked over to Emmett, who's lips were pulled into a slight frown. I wanted to know so badly what he was thinking, but I didn't want Edward knowing about our emotional link right now. I settled instead for giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. He looked at me and smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. I know he could see the confusion in my eyes so he just leaned in to press his lips to forehead quietly, calming me.

"I will allow you both to return." They let out a gust of air and smiled at each other, sharing a brief kiss before smiling at their father.

"In that case, Esme?" Emmett asked sweetly. She smiled at her son and nodded. "Do you think that I could put my stuff into the cottage house? Not that it really applies to me, I'd just rather a place where Bella could go if she wasn't up to seeing them." I had no clue what the 'cottage' was, but it did sound like a nice idea.

"Of course! I guess that means I should finish it!" Her eyes lit up at the thought of decorating, making me smile.

Everyone went to move at the same time when my gaze fell on Alice, who was still looking at the wall with an unfocused look in her eyes.

"Actually, if I could just ask something?" I inquired to everyone. They all settled back into their seats and I looked at Alice, who didn't seem to be listening to anything. "Alice?" Her head snapped to me wither her vampire speed, momentarily disorienting me. "There's something that's been bothering me." Her eyebrow raised in challenge and I sighed. "Why did you try to prevent Jasper from getting to me in time when Rosalie was going to attack me?" It wasn't as though they ever made much noise, but the entire room fell into an uneasy silence.

"Excuse me?" She asked in shock. Maybe it was just because I was mad with her at the moment, but all of her actions seemed completely fake and sarcastic.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked, probably to be the voice of reason.

"Okay, well when you showed up earlier, it was like you put Jasper into this spell that I couldn't really understand. I ran right past Rosalie and Edward, who both could've hurt me, and you were busy distracting him." She opened her mouth to speak but I continued on. "I'm not saying you did that on purpose, however, you two disappeared inside the house and left me alone out here. No offense, Emmett, but it's just something I know Jasper wouldn't have done, especially after his promise to me." I added quickly. Her eyes hardened and she frowned slightly.

"I don't think I understand exactly what you're accusing me of." She snapped at me.

"Nothing." I said immediately. "Its just…Jasper told me that it was as though all of senses were dulled and it was the Major that had to remind him to protect me. It's your fault he took control like that, not Rosalie's." Suddenly, something flashed in my memory. "Also, when he _was_ like that, you knew to wrap a scarf around your eyes. One that I didn't see you wearing." Everything I said sounded like an accusation, but I wasn't quite sure what it all meant myself.

Jasper stood and backed away from Alice.

"Alice." Edward whispered from his place beside her. "Get out, now." Taking his warning to heart, Alice disappeared in an instant leaving tensions in the room high.

"I'm sorry." I said quickly.

"Don't apologize, my dear. There is something going on with that child lately." Esme said sadly as her daughter vanished.

"From what I could gather, not that it makes it right, but she thought that if she saved you from the Major, that you'd forgive her. She didn't know she was actually putting you into that state, she just had a vision of it." Edward explained with a frown. What is wrong with her? Jasper just rubbed his eyes and sighed heavily. He seemed so tired. I wish that he could sleep.

"I'm going to go speak to her." Rosalie said suddenly.

"I'll go with you. I need to speak with her." Jasper added. He gave Edward a pointed look then turned to me, gesturing his head towards Edward. I smirked and nodded before he disappeared out the door with Rosalie. I'm sure Jasper also wanted time to speak to Rosalie, as he felt so betrayed by her recently.

"Being a Father is difficult." Carlisle sighed, making Emmett and I laugh a little.

"That actually went a lot calmer than I thought it would." I admitted as Emmett turned my truck onto my street. He had been abnormally quiet since the family meeting and I didn't blame him. I know there was a lot going on in his mind.

"Why aren't you afraid of Rosalie?" He asked curiously, ignoring my statement. I sighed and nodded because I had been expecting him to ask that already.

"I know it doesn't make sense. Trust me, I realize that, but there's just something about her that's…different." I shrugged when he looked at me quizzically. "Plus, as much as she may not like me, I think the fact I saved her today will keep her away."

"Okay…" He didn't sound convinced, but neither did I. "But what is up with Edward?" He asked, his voice tightening just at the name. This, I knew, was harder to understand.

I bit my lip for a minute before sighing. "Um…Well. When he was almost hit me earlier, there was…_something_ in his eyes. Something that immobilized even Jasper for a split second. I saw it earlier when he first showed up in his room." Emmett snarled and I cringed. "Sorry. With all the mess I forgot to tell you about that. I went to get my gloves from his room, and he showed up." I was going to continue, but I could see his eyes look far off because of something I said.

"I don't know if I'm just paranoid of her, but do you think Alice knew they were coming earlier and went running with me on purpose?" He mused aloud. We didn't speak for a few minutes. "Carry on."

"Well, it almost looks like, and don't laugh at me, that there are flames in his eyes. They flicker like fire and his personality just seems off. Not to mention, his eyes seemed wrong in general. I spent so long looking at his eyes that I can tell something is different about them." I finished a little lamely.

We pulled up to my house and to my surprise, Emmett's icy hand entangled with mine. I looked at our now locked hands before looking up at him.

"Seeing him look at you that way…" He trailed off. "You know, I never really considered myself a jealous man before." I couldn't help the tiny laugh that escaped me. He brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the knuckle.

"Come on." I said once I was lost in his eyes for too long. "Preferably _before_ my father comes out waving his shot gun." He laughed and we got out of the car. I noticed the way he stiffened slightly.

"Don't worry, he doesn't even know we're back yet." He sniffed the air and I instinctually looked around the tree line, not like I'd actually see anything. "The monkey was here earlier." I glared at him and he kissed my cheek while giving me an innocent look. "You know I don't mean it offensively. I actually _like_ Jacob." I rolled my eyes and walked to the door where he followed.

I opened the door to see Charlie moving quickly throughout the room in his uniform. I thought he was off today.

"Oh, Bells, good. You're home." He sighed in relief as he started to tie up his black boots

"What's wrong, Dad?" I asked quickly as Emmett shut the door.

"There was a hit run a little north and even after they assured me it wasn't you, they asked if I could come help them investigate." He explained making my throat tight. I didn't deserve Charlie in my life after all the hell I put him through. He was a lot calmer although he continued to get ready.

Emmett's hand was on the small of my back, his pinkie lifting enough of the shirt so he could feel what I was feeling. He sent me a giant heap of worth and I looked up at him.

"You are." He mouthed making me blush slightly.

"Oh, so Dad, I guess I should tell you now then before you head out." I called when he disappeared into the kitchen. He came back and stood in the threshold and leaned against it while drinking a coke.

"You two are together." He stated without much hesitation. My jaw probably dropped to the floor and both he and Emmett started laughing. "Jeeze, Bells, I am a police officer after all." He reminded me as Emmett continued to laugh.

"But…how?" I managed to choke out. Charlie smiled behind his can of soda and gave me a wink.

"Bells, you two have been practically dating for weeks." He said as he finished his can and slid on his jacket. "I'll be out late. Don't wait up for me, Bells. And leave at a respectable hour, Emmett." Never, ever, had I seen my father this calm about my relationships. Plus, he was letting Emmett and I be _alone_?

When I did I stumble my way into the Twilight Zone?

"Of course, sir." Emmett said with a confident smile that I wanted to punch—or kiss (Probably kiss)—off his face.

My father gestured for me to go near him and I wanted to tell him that no matter what he said, Emmett was going to hear it, but bit my tongue.

"I don't really need to give you the talk again, do I?" He asked, slightly uncomfortable. I blushed and shook my head.

"No, Dad. I won't put you through that again." I said with a smile. He smiled at me, too under his moustache before quickly putting his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me close and kissing my forehead. I almost giggled when his moustache tickled.

"I'm happy for you, Bells." He whispered once he pulled away, still keeping me close. "It's about damn time you were happy." He added with a grumble.

Emmett was really good at being invisible because he didn't make one single breath as he made his way to the sofa.

"Alright. I'm heading out. Emmett, if she gets hurt _or worse_ I will kill you." I winced at his implications.

"Dad." I whined.

"I understand, sir." Emmett said with a serious chuckle as they both ignored me. In the next minute, Charlie's cruiser was pulling out of the driveway with a friendly beep of the horn good bye.

"Have I mentioned that I _really_ like your father?" Emmett asked as I watched his car disappear from the window. I rolled my eyes and groaned.

"I mean, honestly, what does he think is going to happen here tonight?" I asked even though I knew _what_ he meant. Suddenly, my back was pressed against the wall near the window and my arms pinned beside my head. My breathing and heart stopped briefly before going into double time.

"Well I don't know. All alone in this house and you looking the way you do…" He trailed off suggestively and grinned that dimple smile. My knees felt like jell-o and my feet felt numb.

"Breathe, Bells." He chuckled making me blush. I wanted to pull him down to kiss me, but being that his abnormal strength was preventing that, I arched an eyebrow at him and opened the connected between us. Instantly it was as though the air around us was charged.

He could feel the desire I was radiating and looked at me quizzically. I sighed heavily and let my head fall back against the wall I was currently pinned to.

"Kiss me." I demanded, making him smirk slightly.

"Aye, Captain." He said before covering my lips with his. The world was gone again and all I could focus on was the way his lips moved with mine in perfect harmony. His icy tongue grazed me lips and I gasped in complete surprise, making me freeze slightly before I tentatively started kissing him more.

Edward had never kissed me like this. It was always 'too dangerous' but that didn't seem to bother Emmett.

Sadly, much too soon, I needed air and Emmett pulled away and smiled before letting go of my hands.

My head was still spinning as Emmett gave me a wink and pulled me upstairs.

I was getting ready for bed when the events of the day flashed in front of my head again.

"I just don't get it, ya know?" I said as I spit out toothpaste from my mouth. "Did she want me to get hurt?" I asked before going back to brushing. Emmett was standing in the doorway as I ranted.

"Even though she's been pretty crazy lately, I don't think she'd want you to get hurt. Maybe she had a vision she can't explain, or she's honestly losing her damn mind." Emmett added as I rinsed out my mouth. Once I was finished, I pushed him out so I could get changed. I almost groaned when I realized what I brought with me to wear because his damn kisses made me walk on clouds. Deciding the hell with it, I slipped on my too short shorts and my blue tank top, deciding to leave the striped knee high socks I was wearing today on. It's been such a long day.

"I hope whatever it is gets resolved fast. I'm sick of drama in my life." I whined as I opened the bathroom door and walked to my bedroom, where Emmett sat patiently on the bed. His jaw almost smashed on the floor when he took in my outfit, making me blush insanely. "Sorry, I had already grabbed this stuff while I was all dizzy. It's your fault." I said quickly.

"Never apologize for wearing clothes like that. In fact, I think you should wear those all the time." He said with a devilish smirk. I rolled my eyes and walked towards him, placing my hands on his shoulders, and leaning down to kiss his icy lips.

I would never get over that. "I really need to stop kissing you. It clouds my judgment." I told him honestly, making him flash those wicked dimples at me. His hands trailed up my exposed legs, leaving goose bumps all the way up until he hooked his hands behind my knees and pulled me suddenly. I let out a girlish yelp as he pulled me on top of him and blushed when I realized the compromising position he put us in.

His lips found their way onto my neck, leaving a butterfly kiss there. My insides twisted and my hands felt shaky.

"So, let me just review." I managed to choke out. He hummed against my lips, sending a delectable vibration throughout my neck. "This morning, I completely freak out at you and get you upset." I started. He hummed again against my neck. "Then, I have to deal with the rumors that Jasper and I are hooking up." He growled against my neck and I leaned back out of reflex. He wasn't having any of that though and since his hands were still hooked behind my legs, he pulled me even impossible closer to him and he left another demanding kiss on my neck.

"I have a complete epiphany from a Disney movie and confess my feelings to you in the middle of a typhoon." His fingers inched their way up my leg slowly, making my insides twist and vision blur. "I then make out with you in the midst of said typhoon. Our exes who both cheated on us appear, causing a chaotic evening that included a alter-ego military general and you getting your own house." I was surprised I could keep my voice calm as his fingers conveniently brushed over my hips and locked behind my lower back. "Now, maybe I'm a bit premature in saying this, but there is no way you can ever top a day like this. There's been so much excitement, pain, anguish, and happiness that it feels like we've been dating for years—not hours."

He quickly pressed his lips to mine for a brief, and so innocent kiss. No tongue, no heavy panting—just his lip and our emotions swirling together in perfect bliss.

"Just you wait and see." He pulled back so we were inches apart, staring into each other's eyes. "And don't forget our wedding day." To my surprise, I didn't completely cringe and fill with rage like I had when Edward 'compromised' with me into getting engaged. We decided not to discuss the feelings as I contemplated that and he just left me another brief kiss.

"Thank you for giving me a chance. I promise that I'm not going anywhere until you beg me to. I'm always going to be here for you." Emmett being serious was a strange, but fascinating sight. His eyes always held that glimmer of mischief, but when he was serious, his golden orbs darkened ever so slightly, and his grasp on me tightened, as though protecting me from imaginary danger.

"You promise?" I asked, lifting up my pinkie. He grinned and looped his with mine before kissing it softly.

"Promise." I smiled and kissed him this time, pushing the innocent teasings we were doing. He smiled against my lips and moved his lips against mine, pushing my lower back closer to him until it felt like I was glued there. He left a trail of icy kisses down my neck and I resisted the urge to throw my head back and moan.

This new side of me was really different and I hoped that I could learn to have some type of self control when I was around him. My eyes opened just so I could find something to focus on, when my breath caught in my throat.

My eyes were locked with swirls of crimson that shined even through the night time. I was afraid to move, to speak, let alone breathe.

"Emmett." I stated in a hushed whisper. The crimson eyes were hypnotizing and it reminded me of Emmett's eyes when he slipped, except these were unknown to me. I didn't know them. He hummed in response and I swallowed, refusing to let myself blink. I couldn't understand why those deadly eyes were still there. They could have been miles away by now. "Look." This got Emmett's attention and without shifting me at all, he turned around to look at the window.

The second those crimson eyes left mine to lock with his, they were gone like a ghost in the night. I think I should start giving myself pep talks every morning to remind myself that I live with supernatural beings because I was absolutely in awe at how _fast_ Emmett was able to move. In less than a second, I was tossed hastily onto the bed, and Emmett was gone out my now opened window.

The breath that was holding itself in came out in a rush as those eyes crept their way into my memory.

_Was that Victoria? _A huge part of me asked. I shook my head, which was a little ridiculous being that I was talking to myself, because I knew Victoria's eyes. Those eyes haunted me in my sleep and that red hair seemed to appear everywhere I looked. In fact, thinking about it now, that was a man. I swallowed the immediate panic that rose in my throat and grabbed the pen and paper I kept on my night stand, writing everything I remember. I just kept writing, closing my eyes to picture when suddenly, I realized I was alone.

I tip-toed to the window and looked out into the forest.

"Paul?" I called out hesitantly as I tried to remember who's shift it was. Being that Jacob was busy with Angela now, I didn't think about it as much. "Anybody?" I added when no noise surfaced. From the shadows I saw a pair of dark eyes open and an enormous figure made it's way to me. I recognized the small, brown wolf, and fought for my voice. "Seth?" I asked, just to be sure. The wolf's tongue came out in a loopy smile and I let out a breath of relief. Seth ran into the forest and before I could call out, he was there in human form, wearing a pair of gray sweat pants.

"Bella, are you alright?" He asked hesitantly as he surveyed the area.

"A little shaken." I admitted in honesty. Seth grimaced before running and climbing the tree like an animal and he perched himself on the branch that hung near my window.

"I'm so sorry. None of us saw him get through. He had to have known our schedules. Paul was just getting ready to shift with Leah we heard him panting and Emmett's giant steps after him." My shoulders relaxed instantly when I heard the news I didn't know I was looking for; safety. Everyone was okay right now, no one was hurt.

"Emmett, Paul, Leah, and Jared are chasing him. Sam, Jacob, and Quil are catching up with them, probably trying to intercept. I didn't want to leave you alone in case he doubled back through here, so I stayed back." My heart swelled as I took in the young sixteen year old. He was so mature, not just physically, but mentally as well. "Embry's in the forest doing laps around your house, trying to pick up the scent that none of us caught on to." I reached out of the window to him and after surveying the area once more, he hopped into my room with me.

"Thank you, Embry." I called out quickly through the window. A tiny little howl echoed before sprinting past me and dissipating to my left I wrapped my arms around his built torso and relished in the warmth I wasn't aware I was missing so much.

"I don't understand how we didn't see this guy. He wasn't really that big. In fact, thinking about it now, he doesn't even look like a vampire until you see his eyes." I grabbed the notebook I wrote my description on and winced.

_Crimson eyes, brown hair, crimson eyes, white teeth, sweat shirt, crimson eyes._ I sighed and threw it back on the bed. "I'm so creeped out." I admitted. Seth grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him for another one of his hugs, which I didn't have a problem with at all. Seth's skin was like fire compared to the ice I was accustomed to.

"I didn't realize Emmett was so fast." He said squeezing me tighter and pressing his cheek against the top of my head.

"Well I know he's going to be angry that he didn't smell him." I said quietly.

"That reminds me. That's why Jacob was here earlier, by the way. He wanted to talk to you about a strange scent he picked up." I could hear the wheels turning in his head as I pulled away slightly to look up at him. "I'm such an idiot!" He yelled suddenly, making me flinch when I saw the muscles of his neck tighten to unhealthy levels. He saw my fear and instantly calmed down. "Sorry."

"S'okay." I whispered, hugging him again. "What scent?" I asked hesitantly.

"Earlier, Jake and I were watching the house and we were running around when he caught onto a scent. At first, I didn't even notice it but Jake finally got me to lock onto it. He has really good senses." Seth added on with a little dreamy voice. I know he idolized Jake and wanted to be like him. I'm glad he had a hero. "It was weird because it didn't necessarily smell like vampire. It was…familiar even though we couldn't quite place it. It must have been this leech." I forced myself not to wince in fear, and for the fact that polite, accepting Seth used the word _leech_.

"Thank you. For protecting me." I said as my knees quivered. He helped me to the bed and sat beside me while he laughed bitterly.

"Bella, this isn't protecting. He _never_ should have gotten that close. What if Emmett wasn't here, huh? Do you know what could have happened?" He challenged me. In reality, I didn't know, but that didn't stop my mind from creating all the horrific possibilities. The easiest, and most favorable one, is that he would have killed me quickly, with little pain. Maybe I would have managed to scream and someone would have killed him, but it would have been too late and I would either die or become a vampire.

Like I said, that was the more favorable option. He could've dragged me across the country, beat me up, raped me, brought me to Victoria who would have done so much worse.

"_If only you knew what she had planned for you."_ Laurent's voice echoed in my mind, making my body turn to ice. What _did_ she have planned for me? Sure, I've been freaking out about her and everyone has been fighting to protect me but I never actually thought about what would happen if she got me.

Would she kill me immediately? No, that would be too easy. She wanted _revenge_. She wants me to suffer and feel the pain she had when she lost James. But the problem was, not only was I not with the man she wanted revenge on, but I _did_ know what she went through. Maybe if she got to me, she would have sympathy for the excruciating life I had to live when Edward left me. Maybe I could manipulate the romantic lying deep within those hateful eyes.

But I knew I was being desperate. In reality, Victoria probably didn't care about me feeling what she did anymore. Everything she was doing was fueled by James. Maybe she was seeing him the way I saw Edward when h eleft. Maybe she found someone else that she could pretend to have feelings for, just so the pain of losing her mate would be dulled. I know that if I was suddenly alone in a world of eternity, I'd want to do anything to occupy my time. That's all I am to her, now. Something to occupy her time. Maybe, once I was dead and she felt as though she avenged James, she would go to Volturi herself and ask for death or just let the wolves rip her to shreds.

But not before she had her revenge. She would probably tortue me. Maybe burn me with fire, so I could feel what James went through. Or she would pull my limbs from my body and rip me from the inside out. Maybe she'd force the Cullen's and everyone I love to watch as she stabbed me, or bit me, or just sucked the blood right out of me.

My skin started to crawl and my vision darkened as I thought about ti. What was going to happen to me? I could only beg that I would die quickly. I wouldn't ask for a swift death though, because I know they would do the exact opposite. So maybe I just had to hope that the human in either of them, Victoria or the mysterious lad, would have mercy for me.

After all, _I_ wasn't the one that killed James. James bit me and tried to kill me and the family protected me. Why did she have to target me, a defenseless human? Was it because she wasn't as good a hunter as James to hunt down and kill Edward that she targeted me? After all, I was supposed to be easy game. A human; no super speed, strength, or abilities to defend myself with. But she wasn't planning on the Cullen's and the wolves teaming up to protect me.

My mother would manage without me. She's doing a fine job of it now, while I'm alive, actually. She's been distracted with Phil and I know that if I were to be killed or go missing, she would have someone to hold on to her. When going through something as emotional as that, you need someone. Maybe that's why those first months without Edward were hard; because I didn't make an effort to let someone into my life and keep me from slipping away. Maybe if I had just tried to talk to Charlie.

Charlie, oh god, what about Charlie. What would he do if I were killed? Would they ever give him the closure of finding my body? Or would she make him look until his heart gave out? Who would feed him and keep him company? Looking back on it now, I was a horrible daughter to him. Not only did I force him to suffer with me when I was in my catatonic state, but I constantly kept him in the dark. I hate that I did that.

I don't think anyone would really miss me that much if I died. The wolves, probably, would be upset but Jacob and Angela would have each other to get by. Seth would probably take it hard, after all his father just recently passed and he and I go way back. Thinking about it now, I've known Seth almost as long as Jacob. Once, when I was hanging out with Jacob since Rachel and Rebecca were busy with their mom, the Clearwater's came over and while Leah didn't want anything to do with me, Seth spent the day with Jacob and I. Charlie would have an entire community to help him move on, although I did wish he had another child.

I know the Cullen's would look desperately for me until they discovered my death. Maybe even then, if my body was never found they would still search. Carlisle and Esme, without a doubt, would be filled with worry. I know that they love me with all that they have. I don't know how Edward and Rosalie would react, to be honest. Even though the family has decided to let them back into our life, doesn't mean any of us have to like them or vice versa. Alice…oh Alice. I know that there has to be something mentally wrong with her lately and even after all the shit she's done, I'd still like to believe that she would miss me if I died. My recent friendship with Jasper assures me that he would probably go super soldier if I was missing. I didn't want him to turn into the Major again, but I think if I was missing, he would go ape shit. It's almost nice to know that someone would act like that when I was gone.

My mind deliberately tried to avoid him, but Emmett entered my mind, hurting my stomach. We've only been dating for a day (not even) And yet I knew that I was already hooked on him. I shouldn't have been so stupid to let it get this far, but I wanted to be happy, hell I deserved to be happy. Emmett made me happy. The thought made my insides rip. How would he react if I died? His 'mate' of 60 years cheated on him and the only other girl he's come to have feelings for would disappear. None of this was fair to him. I, especially, was being stupid into thinking that Emmett could ever care about me the same way I cared about him. Emmett made me feel important. Not only that, but he made me feel equal and beautiful and safe and protected and _wanted_.

My mind flashed to earlier when I was sitting across his lap. I'd never felt such a desire for anyone before in my entire life. But the best part was, he wanted me as well. It wasn't just a one-sided desire like it was with Edward. He wanted me.

My eyes came back into focus except I was completely disoriented. I was staring outhe window before, but now, I was on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. My eyes were suddenly heavy and the desire to sleep was becoming more prominent but I had to know what was happening. I managed to turn my head a bit so I could see Seth kneeling next to me. His eyes were frantic and his mouth was moving quickly. I realized suddenly that I couldn't hear him. In fact, I couldn't hear anything. Everything sounded as if I was under the water. My chest was heaving, that much I could notice and my fingers felt numb.

What was happening?

Was I dying?

My head felt as though it was going to explode and I opened my mouth to try and speak btu all I could managed was unintelligible groans of agony. My hips hurt and my neck felt tight. In fact, my breathing felt constricted and I had a flashback of when Rosalie tried to choke me. That didn't help anything and I started to breath impossibly faster than I already was. Seth's big hands grabbed my face but it was as though my face was numb, because I could barely feel it. I tried to stay focused on Seth's face, but I was distracted by how everything behind him was moving. I could see him mouthing my name but the more I tried the hear, the more of a splitting headache I got.

Seth turned his head and called out something, although it sounded like a faraway hum. To my surprise, I turned and saw Jacob suddenly three. He was looking at me with those pleading eyes, begging me to calm down. I just stared at him and thought about everything that I have here in this life. There is so much I am grateful for, even if they aren't grateful to me. He was mouthing my name, slowly and he grabbed my numb hand and put it over his chest. At first, nothing happened but then I could feel the fast, but smooth rhythm of his heartbeat. I closed my eyes and focused on how the vibrations seemed to echoe throughout my body. I opened my eyes and looked to Seth, who was staring at me with confusion, worry, but also a faint smile playe don his lips as I looked at him. He smiled at me and grabbed my other hand.

Suddenly, it was as though flood gates opened and I could hear everything again. I let out a gasp in surprise and Seth quickly touched my face.

"Bella?" He whispered. I sighed in relief.

"I…I can hear you." I choked out and started crying. Well, obviously I didn't start crying, because my face was soaked with tears by the time I realized it.

"Thank God." He mumbled as he wiped the tears from my face.

"Bella?" I turned to Jacob and smiled weakly.

"Hi Jake." Hearing me say that, he slouched in relief. Both of them put an arm behind me and helped me sit up. "What…what happened?" I turned to Seth.

"You were thinking really hard about something, so I didn't say anything. I figured you needed quiet." I smiled in gratitude. "But then you stood up and started mumbling all these different things and your eyes dilated. You started to collapse so I caught you and helped you to the ground. You kept talking and when you finally focused on me, you kept shouting that you couldn't hear me and you couldn't feel anything." He shuddered. "It scared the hell out of me, Bells."

"I'm so sorry." I said quickly, reaching out to grab his hand.

"Don't apologize." I had almost forgotten Jacob was in the room.

"I didn't know what to do, so I called out for help and Jacob came." Seth said quickly. I was so disorientated that when they offered to help me stand, I just laughed and said that I preferred it down here.

"That was one hell of a panic attack, Bells. Are you sure you're okay?" Jacob asked me. I wanted to say 'I'm fine' but I knew that I wasn't.

"That vampire just scared me and I started thinking too much." I blushed from embarrassment. "I'm sort of a train wreck like that." A train wreck. It made me think of Emmett and I smiled faintly. I was a train wreck and I don't think I had a problem with it.

"Thank you for staying, Seth." I said honestly. I leaned up and grabbed his face to pull it to me. I left a kiss on his cheek and smiled at him. I turned to Jacob and contemplated giving him a kiss on the cheek too, but I didn't want to push and boundaries.

"Did you get him?" I asked Jacob. He grimaced

"They're still chasing him. Embry left his post despite Sam's orders so I came back to make sure Seth was still here." He looked at Seth with a hard look and I recognized it immediately. After all, he used to give that look to Edward all the time.

Jacob Black was jealous of Seth Clearwater. I don't know why he would be, but he was. Before I could question it, both of them snarled viciously and stood defensively looking at the window. To my surprise, Edward came leaping through it.

This day was getting weirder and weirder by the minute.

"Don't kill him." I said quickly once I saw both of them shake.

"Get out." Jacob growled at him.

"Shut it, mutt. I came to pick up the scent. Alice had a vision of Emmett chasing something through the woods, but your dogs got too close and she lost it." Edward said in his usual, '_I-know-everything-about-anything'_ voice. "Now that I know what just happened to Bella, I wanted to make sure she was okay." His eyes locked to mine and I saw it again. The strangeness that his eyes were now. Flickers of fire seemed to dance behind the gold and I could have sworn they were red for a split second.

Had Edward been feeding off of a human?

No…there was no way he would slip off the wagon like that and nobody would notice.

_But he has been gone for weeks. _

"Listen, Edward, I'm fine." I started to say.

"Emmett shouldn't have left you alone with these dogs." He said completely ignoring. "Some boyfriend, eh, Bella?" I winced because I knew he did it on purpose to hurt Seth and Jacob. Both of them growled and looked at him.

"You're _dating_ him?" Jacob asked accusingly. Rage filled me and I snapped at him.

"Yes I am. Do you have a problem with that?" I challenged. He flinched slightly because he knew I was referring to the fact that he shouldn't have a problem with it.

"I…I just thought you should've…told me…" He stuttered making me even angrier.

"Why? You have no right to say who I can and can't date, Jacob." I hissed at him.

"But…he's just another leech, Bells! He could hurt you! Worse, he could turn you!" He tried to fight me, but I could see him crumbling.

"You know what, Jacob. You're starting to sound a lot like him." I said, pointing to Edward. I didn't miss the way his eyes flared in anger at the comparison. Jacob, however, completely faltered once he realized I was completely right. Seth was quiet during this whole thing and I felt really bad about it. I went to stand and all three of them reached for me. "Stop!" I shouted, making them all fall back. I looked at Seth and had him help me stand. I squeezed his hand once before turning to them.

"You two may not approve of my choice, but that's just too fucking damn bad. Jacob, you imprinted for Christ's sake! Stop trying to control my life! And Edward, I hated when you used to control me and now that we're not together, it's even less tolerable. You have a mate now, so my decisions shouldn't concern you in any way shape or form. I am so sick of letting people manipulate and control my life! I know you guys are just looking out for me so understand when I say I realize the risks and the dangers in this, but I don't care!" I yelled, suddenly feeling tense. My fingers were twitching and suddenly it felt like everyone in the room was my enemy.

I actually feared for my life.

"So just back off, Okay! Both of you! I'm under a lot of stress right now and neither of you are helping!" I was so antsy that I grabbed the glass of water by my bed and tried to drink. Tried meaning my hands were so shaky I could barely get a sip out of it. "So get it through your stubborn skulls!" I yelled again, not sure deep down why I was yelling in the first place. I hate yelling. "I am dating—" The last word caught in my throat as though I were choking on something.

My body tensed from the lack of normal air flow and the glass slipped from my figners and shattered on the floor, making everyone flinch. They were looking at me desperately but didn't seem to know what to do. I couldn't find words, I couldn't find thoughts, I couldn't do anything but freeze.

Then, like a gun shot, a rippling pain shot through my side and I couldn't help the blood curdling scream that came out of me. The pain was similar to how it felt when James shattered my leg for 'fun'. I fell to my knees but none of them moved; it was as though my scream froze them. I tried to speak when another squeeze made me scream again in agony.

I hadn't experienced pain like this in so long. My entire body felt completely broken and as though boulders were being rolled on top of them. More pressure, another scream.

They moved towards me and I screamed again. I couldn't understand why none of them were helping me until I looked over and saw that no one was there. No one was hurting me. This pain wasn't real.

As if to prove it's existence, another excruciating blow came to my right side and I screamed again. It clicked suddenly and I looked at the three with tears in my eyes. I had to bleeding. Was I bleeding? Were my bones shattered? Was I dying?

"Emmett!" I screamed as loud as I could holding my arms tight around my stomach. Emmett was hurt, he needed my help. "No!" I screamed when I felt another blow of pain. "Stop!" I sobbed desperately. None of them moved and I looked at them with blurry vision as another round of pain hit.

I've never experienced blinding white pain until that moment. I cried out again and clutched my chest desperately. "Emmett is hurt!" I yelled. That seemed to get them and Jacob and Edward were gone in an instant. Seth stayed and moved closer to me hesitantly. I let out another scream as it hit again and Seth swallowed his fear, reached out and pulled me to his scalding hot chest. I cried into him, heaving desperately from the pain. Every time I yelled he just held me closer and whispered soft soothing words to me.

"Emmett…" I sobbed as my entire body throbbed with pain. When I closed my eyes, it was as though I could see him reaching out for me before disappearing suddenly.

It could have been minutes, hours, days for all I know when the pain finally stopped coming. My body ached but I was prepared for it to come shattering back. I couldn't stop the flow of tears that continued to fall down my face. I cried into Seth's hot chest, aching for instead of an icy one.

_Please, be Okay. You promised._

My thoughts were stunned and my body ached as I let my eyes shut into a black abyss of pain and sorrow.

_You promised._

**Normal POV**

Emmett McCarty Cullen raced through the jungle of trees, his feet on the heels of the boy from the window. He wasn't sure just how long he'd been chasing him, but he'd do it for days if it meant stopping and interrogating him. He was _there_. At Bella's window and Emmett didn't smell or hear him approach. In fact, it didn't seem the werewolves did either. Was that his gift? Could he cover his scent?

He didn't let up as he heard the howl of wolves far behind him. They were trying to catch up to him. He was running, so close to being able to reach out and grab him, when suddenly the boy turned around and attacked. Emmett went flying back in surprise and his strength.

_It has to be a newborn._ Emmett thought as he quickly bounced to his feet. He didn't have time to stand though, as the newborn hit him so hard in the side, it sent a shudder of horrific pain through his side. He continued to fight. He was trying to use all the tricks Jasper taught him to fight newborns but even Emmett had to admit this guy was fast.

He kept trying to get behind him but he stayed in his line of vision until the locked eyes with each other. Then he smiled wickedly and lunged.

A sudden touch on his side sent a surge of heat and clenching pain and he collapsed, breathing heavily.

"Funny, isn't it?" The boy sneered, seeing he had the upper hand. "All I have to do is look at someone and I find their greatest weakness." Emmett tried to stand but he pounced on him and no matter how hard he tried to roll his muscles, he wouldn't budge.

"Tell me, was that Bella back there?" He asked innocently. Emmett snarled, hating the way he said Bella's name.

If he tried to hurt Bella…He growled at the thought.

"Maybe the darling bumped her head because I can't seem to read her at all." Emmett couldn't help but to smirk at this and be extra grateful for Bella's unconscious ability to block mental powers. "Maybe I just need to spend more time with her." The strange vampire kicked Emmett so hard he choked as parts of his body cracked.

There was no stopping this kid. Kick after kick, punch after punch, Emmett just took it—praying that someone would come. "How does she block!" The vampire screamed at Emmett. Emmett just smirked and received a great punch in the stomach for that one.

"He won't tell." Emmett's body tensed even more as the familiar red head came walking into view. She looked different than the last time he saw her. Crazed even.

She knelt by his face and began to twist it, mking him yell out in pain as his spin began to crack.

"I can't wait to see the look on the bitch's face when you're busy burning." He tried to move but the newborn strength kept him at bay as Victoria continued to twist. The boy began to pull at his limbs, loving the screams of agony it produced.

He was shouting in pain from his head being twisted and his body being pulled apart when suddenly, they both just disappeared. He opened his eyes and tried to look for them, but his body was immobilized and he couldn't bring himself to move. He noticed his arm separated from his body a little ways away from him and winced as his body registerd more pain. He was trying to keep calm, but little yells and shouts kept escaping him.

Meanwhile, Sam, Embry, and Quil wrestled with the two vampires viciously. Sharp claws dug into granite stone like butter and both of them screamed in pain. Victoria had not planned all this just to die. She looked at the burly wolf trying to rip her to shreds and punched as hard as she could in the rib, making him yelp like the pathetic mutt he was and fall off of her. She sprinted away, grabbing Riley, and running as fast as possible away.

"Mission failed." Riley mumbled as they sprinted away from the wolves.

"No." Victoria couldn't fight the smirk that spread over her face. "It wasn't." He didn't question her as they ran for another couple hours before stopping when they realized the wolves had stopped following.

She grabbed Riley and shoved him against a tree, kissing him and shoving her tongue in his mouth. Riley eagerly responded and they fought for dominance.

"How was this mission not a failure?" Riley couldn't help but to ask as he flipped them around and pressed her against the tree with his newborn strength.

She shushed him because with her advanced senses, she could hear the one she really wanted. "I need time to think. Go check on the army, find them some food. I'll return in a few hours." She cooed to him. Riley nodded eagerly as he would do anything for his creator. He sprinted off and Victoria sprinted the other way.

"Over here." The voice already sent chills down her spine as she followed the scent of human and vampire to a tiny cabin the middle of the woods. She didn't even know what state she was in to be entirely honest.

_Some tracker you are, Vicky._ James voice echoed in her ears and her insides shook slightly. She kicked open the door to see a human girl tied and gagged sitting on a bed. Next to her sat the man she was most eager to see, stroking her hair and giving her relaxing words.

"Didn't think you'd make it out alive." He said to Victoria, making her wince slightly.

"I wasn't expecting the burly idiot." She sneered, making him chuckle. He stood and walked over to her with a dangerous look in his swirled eyes.

"Your eyes…" She started but he silenced her instantly with his mouth.

"Shut up." He whispered as he pressed her against the wall. She moaned at the feeling of his mouth against hers and he smiled.

Once again, just like that, he had her right where he wanted. He ground himself against her, making her moan again when she felt his hardened desire.

"We have a guest." He whispered to her. They stopped and turned to the little virgin who sat on the bed. "I found her on the way. Just for us." The way he spoke was so similar to James that she shuddered and walked over to the crying, terrified girl. He stepped behind Victoria and gorund himself against her ass, making her moan slightly. "Just for you." He whispered into her ear before nibbling on it slightly.

"Calm down." Victoria said in a calming, almost motherly voice. Her hand rested on her kene and the girl flinched back. Victoria continued to shush her as her hand trailed up under her dress to her untouched core. She leaned forward and licked the innocent girl's neck, moaning at the feeling.

Virgins always tasted better. They were pure blooded and like crack to Victoria. He sat on the other side of the girl and took a lick as well and even his eyes rolled in the back of his head. This was like heaven. He noticed the look in Victoria's eyes once she looked at him. He couldn't help but to smirk.

Loyalty.

It only took two meetings, but Victoria would do anything for him so long as he continued to act like James. It was clear she miss him desperately and he almost felt bad until he realized his plan was a complete success.

Soon, everything would fall into place.

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><p><strong>Woah. What a chapter you guys. How ya doing? My fingers are sore as hell, thanks for asking. In fact, for most of this chapter, I did it all in one shot this morning. I did it with my eyes shut, this way I wouldn't see the mistakes I made and I wrote at least 7 pages that way!<strong>

**Okay! Let's talk!**

**How did you like Edward and Rosalie flipping shit? I certainly enjoyed it. **

**And Jasper? Yee-haw was that meltdown fun to write. I like writing Jasper's slightly darker side because I don't think stories touch on it enough. Bella was pretty bad ass to send enough pain to Jasper to make him crumple, don't ya think?**

**So yes, Edward and Rosalie are scheduled to come back. Woopeee! Not really, they just needed to be back for this story to work. There will be drama, obviously, but I'm going to throw curveballs at you. **

**Alice…oh Alice. What am I to do with you? _I_ know that you're trying to do good, but my reviewers don't agree! Wait until you guys see what I have planned for her! She's going to have a huge role in the next chapter and it has to do with venom. That's why she's so coocoo lately. Shhhh, that was a secret though. **

**Emmett gets a house! Yay!**

**Ahh, damn vampires interrupting Emmett and Bella's happy sweet time. =( Boooooo. Bella's panic attack was pretty sick, don't cha think? I wrote that entire scene with my eyes shut, trying to find the right words and didn't read until I was finished. I'm actually pretty pleased with how it turned out. But, hey, you're the readers; tell me what you actually think. **

**So now Bella is the one who experiences the emotional connection for the first time. Up until now, Emmett's been the one to do so and it couldn't have come at a worse time. **

**Poor Emmett got his ass kicked. =( Boo. I don't like that at all. **

**Yes, Riley actually has a power in this story. And shit gets pretty weird.**

**Ahhh, Victoria and the mysterious man return. Sorry about the creepy girl part, but remember this story is rated M for a reason. Things may get a lot darker in the next few chapters, but I'll be sure to give up a heads up if that's the case. Who do you think is the mysterious man and what is he after? Hmmm?**

**I know that this was a ridiculously long chapter (About 22 pages, and 14,500+ words) and not all that much action but a lot did happen. **

**Like I said at the beginning of the chapter, I might not be updating for a while but that ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR REVIEWS.**

**I do have other stories that I've been neglecting lately because of all the feedback on this story. If you want the next chapter, you must review. I didn't get all that many last chapter and it made writing half of this chapter very difficult to write. I can only do so much! I'm one person! So if you want to know what happens next chapter, you have to review. **

**Here's a sneak peak!**

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><p>Jasper held me in his arms and as soothing as that felt, I know he was mostly doing it to prevent me from running upstairs. I could Emmett grunting and I could feel a sick pain in my stomach.<p>

"How could this happen…" I whispered pathetically.

"It's not his fault. It was a newborn and he wasn't prepared." Jasper tried to soothe me but I was shaking from anger and despair. All I wanted to do was be near him. "Trust me Bella, if you saw him right now you'd pass right out." I winced at the truth of his words. They tried to rip him apart and some…pieces were separated from his body.

To my surprise, I noticed Alice sitting on the sofa curled up in a small ball rocking back and forth.

"Alice?" I asked, pulling away from Jasper's arms and walking towards her. She looked at me and I gasped in shock. Her eyes were gray. Not black like when they hungry, but gray with gold around the edges. Her hair was frizzy and she looked frazzled.

She looked like she was losing her mind.

"I can't." She sobbed desperately. I looked to Jasper whose face was in complete despair as he stared at his wife. "What is happening!" She screamed as she grabbed her head desperately.

Another shout of pain came from upstairs and my head spun. I wanted to see Emmett. Alice yelled as well. It was as though the world was swirling around me.

"Alice, it's okay." Jasper was at her side, kissing her face.

"Please, make it stop." She choked out. Jasper closed his eyes and touched her face. Her shaking body calmed and her body untensed. Her eyes slipped shut, as though she fell asleep but I'm sure she was just relishing in Jasper's ability. I walked on numb legs to the kitchen, where Esme stood sobbing silently into her hands.

"Esme." I whispered. She looked up at me, venom pooling in her eyes. She ran to me and hugged me as tightly as she ever could.

"I…" She tried to speak but just squeezed me tighter. I didn't question it and just hugged her as tight as I could manage. I understood her completely. She was terrified. Her two children were causing great distress in the house, her other son was almost murdered, her daughter was losing her mind, and she was forcing herself to keep it all together.

Esme Cullen's family was falling apart.

And I couldn't do anything to stop it.

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><p><strong>Not that juicy of a sneak, but an emotional one. You find out a lot about Alice and there will probably be a lot of fighting.<strong>

**Anyway, I said it earlier but my twitter is _PepperHereWrite_ and I'd love it for you to follow me! **

**Okay, I'll leave now! Review if you want a chapter, because otherwise it won't be happening until I update some of my other stories!**

**Sorry about errors, again. One Me, no beta, fast typer. **

**Love you all, SO FUCKING MUCH. **

**~Pepper**


	12. Chapter 12 Hurt

**Hello all. I'm so sorry for the delay, seriously I am. It's been way too long since I updated, after I said I wouldn't wait so long but my life has been so hectic. **

**Just to catch you all up, I now have a boyfriend who I am absolutely crazy about 3 I've known him for years and our relationship just sort of happened. Anywho, that's a huge reason why I haven't been uploading. But I'm going to try to avoid this giant gap happening again.**

**And I'm busy trying to catch up with school so I can pass with alright grades.**

**And I'm always at the doctors or my physical therapist. Sorry.**

**Also, this chapter was freaking ridiculous to write. I must have rewrote this thing like 3 or 4 times before I finally just stuck with this final copy. I'm sorry if it's not at my best. I've been thinking about the chapter after this so much, that I'm having trouble producing this one.**

**There are probably a lot of grammar errors, I apologize. Sometimes, I'm just not paying attention. **

**I hope you all can forgive me for being so late. Thank you to all my reviewers who helped to kick my butt into gear!**

**I'm not going to dedicate this chapter to anyone since I'm not 100% proud of this work. Sorry again.**

**Please, please, please make sure you review. With each of your reviews, I write a little more and I write a little better. **

**Okay. Sorry again. Please try and enjoy!**

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><p>I awoke sometime later in my bed, and curled against something hard and hot. The warmth was nice, but it made my insides twist slightly. Warmth wasn't what I was accustomed to. Warmth wasn't what I needed.<p>

I needed the chill that sent electric down my spine.

No. Warmth wasn't what I needed.

My eyes felt heavy and the thought of opening them seemed like much too exhausting of a chore so I just lay there.

"Seth, seriously, we should get out of here." The voice I recognized instantly as Jacob's came from the other end of the room. Jacob? Why was Jacob here?

"Then go." I realized then that I must have been lying on Seth's chest, because a gentle hum vibrated my head with his words. "I'm not leaving her alone until one of the Cullens comes to get her." Jacob sighed and I could hear him getting more annoyed. In fact, I could almost imagine his jaw tightening and fists clenching.

"Seth, stop. Your little crush on her is cute and all, but we _need_ to go. One of them will come to get her when they can." Jacob snapped at him. I felt myself frown slightly. 'Little crush?'

A lot of things seemed to make sense then. I guess maybe I was so caught up in Edward and Jacob that I never thought to consider that any one else could ever have feelings for me. The thought made me sad. Seth didn't deserve to like me when he could have any girl in the world.

Why did I have a knack for attracting all the people I didn't deserve?

"A little hypocritical aren't we, Jake?" Seth challenged back at him while managing to keep his voice level and clam. His warm arms were wrapped around me, one of his fingers absentmindedly tracing small shapes. It was very relaxing even if I felt on edge.

"Excuse me?" Jake snarled, almost making me flinch if my body didn't feel like it had been run over by a truck.

Repeatedly.

"Jake, I'm not going to fight with you. But you know I'm right. You know damn well that if you hadn't imprinted, _you'd_ be the one holding her right now. And nothing, probably not even a direct order from Sam, would get you away. Just because you can walk away from her now, doesn't mean the rest of us have to. You're just upset that she's dating Emmett now, which really has nothing to do with you. Oh, and while I'm at it leave my feelings out of this." I guess I'd miss when Seth Clearwater had grown some balls. I wanted to cry and hug Seth for defending me because slowly I remembered how irritated I've been with Jacob.

Jacob had Angela and he still thought he could control my dating life? Where the hell was the fairness in that.

Jacob didn't respond immediately before sighing. "I…I just…"

"Want her to be happy?" Seth prompted in an all-knowing voice.

"More than anything." Came Jake's immediate response. A sad feeling twisted in my stomach at his words. My small Jacob drawer that I had been trying so hard to keep locked away rattled.

"Then you need to let her go." There was a long silence that left me feeling slightly uncomfortable. I took a deep breath and forced my eyes open, to find Seth's looking back at me with amusement.

"Hiya, Bells." He said quietly, but happily. I smiled at him and pushed myself up to a sitting position, groaning once my shoulders popped loudly and my vision went dark with dizziness. "How do you feel?" He asked, sitting up so he could rub my back. I rested my elbows on my knees and dropped my head into my hands as he rubbed my back calmly.

"Like I decided to play chicken with a truck." I admitted honestly. Two chuckles made me whip my head around in surprise. I knew that I heard Jacob, but the sudden silence made me think he left. His lips were pulled back into a small, tight grin. That was Sam's Jacob looking at me. Not my Jacob anymore.

Well, not that he could ever be _my _Jacob ever again.

No, _my_ Jacob was gone. Forever. No longer was there any potential of an _us._ Jacob belonged to Angela now. And who was I to stand in the way of that?

"Hi Bella." I nodded and smirked a little. Then, like an actual truck hitting me, all the memories of yesterday came flooding my mind. Everything. Jasper, Edward and Rosalie, the vampire at my window, Emmett...

"Bella, calm down." I didn't even realize my heart rate had doubled in speed until Seth shook me slightly out of it.

"Emmett. What happened to Emmett?" I asked frantically. I saw them both exchange a look and my stomach completely dropped. "He was hurt…" I mumbled while rubbing my eyes forcefully so maybe I could actually wake up from a horrible nightmare.

"Bella." My hands were pulled away from my eyes to lock with Jacob's familiar dark ones. "He was chasing down that vampire, when the other one got the advantage. Embry left his post because he caught a whiff of Victoria and chased her to find her and the other leech…hurting Emmett." I could tell this was hard for him, which made tears start to pour down my face. Subconsciously, I knew the hurting a vampire required…gruesome means. "Listen to me!" Jacob snapped, making my body freeze. Seth's low warning growl made Jacob loosen his hold on my wrists slightly. "He's alive."

_He's alive. He's alive. He's alive. He's alive._

No matter how much I repeated the sentence in my head, I couldn't quite believe it.

I _felt_ his pain. There was nothing like it in the world. Just the thought of the pain I felt hours earlier sent an uncomfortable shiver down my spine and a subtle throbbing throughout my body. I scrambled out of bed and almost fell down because of my jell-o knees but didn't thanks to Jacob and Seth's quick reflexes.

"Easy." Both of them commanded quietly. "Bella, you can't go over there right now." Jacob said when I slipped on my shoes. I whipped around and saw red.

"You will not tell me what I can and can't do, Jacob!" I shouted at him as memories of him acting like Edward made their way into my mind. "Someone out there just tried to kill Emmett and you think I'm just going to let him suffer by himself? Jacob, he's _everything._ I can't lose him. He's my best friend." I sobbed out, not caring that his eyes tightened at the words 'best friend'. Good, he deserved it.

But the truth was, Emmett was my best friend. Yes, in an entirely different way than Jacob, but his own way just the same. That's why we clicked so well compared to Edward and I. Edward and I weren't friends.

I didn't have time to act on this new revelation, because warmth enveloped me. "Of course not. You're stubborn Bella, and I realize that you're not going to listen to us. That doesn't mean that it's a good idea for you to go over there. When I got to the scene, things were pretty bad and Embry was hurt pretty seriously. Luckily, Dr. Fang got there when he did and managed to set his bones back before they healed improperly or he would have had to re-break them." Jacob shuddered at the thought and I was instantly hit with guilt. Someone _else_ was hurt on my account and instead of being with their brother, Jacob and Seth were here with me.

"Is Embry…Okay?" I asked into Jacob's chest. His woodsy scent was familiar but made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

"Yeah, he's healing pretty quickly, but that doesn't mean he's not beating himself up about it." I pulled back and tilted my head in confusion. "When he got hit, everyone went to check on him and Victoria and the other one got away." Jacob explained causing me to roll my eyes. I pulled away and we stood slightly awkward away from each other.

_Werewolves and their damn egos._

"But why can't I see Emmett?" I pressed. Jacob sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets uncomfortably.

"Dr. Fang said he had to get all of Emmett back to the house so he could help get him all…fixed up." He trailed off and I saw him cuss under his breath because he accidentally told me what I didn't want to hear. '_all of Emmett.'_

He was ripped apart.

My stomach, which still felt as though it had fallen, quickly rose up to my throat and I sprinted to the bathroom, making it just in time to hunch over the porcelain throne and spew whatever was in my stomach. I made violent noises as my stomach emptied itself and I started crying again, partially because of the pain of throwing up and mostly because of Emmett. I tried to wave Jacob away when I saw him walk in the bathroom but he just scoffed.

"Shut up, Bells." He told me, making me glare at him through the hair I was fighting to keep back. "This is what best friends are for, isn't it?" He questioned as he pulled back my hair for me and held it there as another round came out. I didn't miss the way he mentioned that he was my best friend and I didn't protest. No matter what happens to us, we'd always be best friends. Just because he wasn't mine, and I wasn't his, didn't mean we couldn't be friends until the time came for us to part ways.

If I chose to move away, move on from Forks, he would have Angela. And I would have Emmett.

Thinking about Emmett made me lurch again and I sobbed into the toilet as more emptied from my stomach. How could there be so much inside of me?

"Thank you." I croaked out once Seth came in with a glass of water. "Both of you." I added. Seth just nodded at me and readied a toothbrush and cup of mouthwash while Jacob continued to hold my hair back and rub soothing circles on my back. "I don't deserve you." I mumbled into the toilet. They both laughed and I did the same as I flushed the disgusting stomach waste away.

_He's alive._

I had to keep reminding myself, otherwise another round would have came up.

"I'm really sorry for how I acted last night, Bella." Jacob said as he helped me stand on my shaky knees.

"S'okay." I told him before starting to brush my teeth.

"Well, it isn't, but thank you for that. I didn't mean to act like him." I shrugged and smiled at him through my toothpaste filled mouth. Things were so easy with Jacob. "So, you and Emmett, eh?" He asked once I started to rinse my mouth with the mouthwash. I just gave him a look and swished around the burning liquid in my mouth. "Fine, fine. Don't tell me." He raised his hands in surrender. His body stiffened and his nostrils flared suddenly and I groaned. I was so _not_ in the mood for another vampire here to ruin my day. I spit in the sink and looked up.

To my surprise, it wasn't a vampire that wanted to kill me, just Jasper appearing in the doorway.

"Jasper?" I asked in confusion. His eyes were dark as he raked Jacob in and I snapped my fingers, making him look at me. "What are you doing here?" When his eyes focused on me, they turned back to their golden hue.

"Well, I just came to get the scent darlin'. But I could hear you heaving from miles away and the smell of wet dog just made me want to check up on you." I blushed and glared at him before a little before the worry crept back. He grimaced slightly.

"He's alive, Bella. That's all that matters." He tried to comfort me but I just frowned.

"He's hurt though. When can I come see him?" I asked hopefully. I could see that he was fighting with himself internally and bit my lip, looking at him hopefully. He groaned and I thought I almost saw him stomp his foot.

"You think you can get anything you want with those eyes, don't ya?" He asked with a sigh. I giggled at him and his eyes twinkled. "Right now isn't a good time." I opened my mouth to protest, but he lifted his hand and sent me a dose of calm. "It's five a.m. and Charlie won't be home until later tonight. Give Carlisle some time to work his magic, and I'll come get you at around two." I wanted to protest, but I'm sure that even doing this was a bad idea so I sighed and nodded.

"Thank you." I said sincerely. He smiled and looked to Jacob.

"I'm going to get and see if I can track that scent. You coming?" I was in complete awe that Jasper and him were speaking but Jacob nodding and following him was even stranger.

"I'm sorry that I've been such a horrible friend, Bells." Jacob said before squeezing me in a vice grip of a hug.

I knew if I said it was okay, he would protest, and if I told him he hadn't, he would argue so I just nodded against him.

He looked deeply into my eyes for a long minute before turning and jogging down the steps to follow Jasper. I heard the front door open and shut and I just stood there stunned for a minute when Seth came walking out of my bedroom, his hands over his stomach.

"You okay?" He asked hesitantly. I nodded and gestured towards his stomach. "I'm hungry." He said bashfully.

"You sound surprised." I teased as I walked down the stairs and to the kitchen. Seth followed eagerly and watched as I looked at the fridge. It was so early but I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep until I saw Emmett alive with my own eyes. There was some turkey and mash potatoes left over from last night's dinner that Charlie was supposed to eat so I stacked everything left onto a plate and stuck it in the microwave.

"I'm going to make Embry some food, too. That should distract me." I mused aloud. Seth laughed.

"I think he'll like that, Bella. Pretty girl plus a bunch of food?" I laughed with him and once the microwave beeped, I set the plate, which was stacked completely in front of him. His eyes went wide and the look in his eyes made me smile. They worked so hard, they deserved this.

I searched the contents of the kitchen, trying to distract myself with the recipes appearing in my mind.

Seth was a superhero in keeping me sane. He always stayed on innocent, light hearted topics—careful to avoid sensitive subjects and always made it his mission to make me laugh. He was such a good kid.

But no matter how much I tried to keep my mind occupied, the only thing I could focus on was Emmett.

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><p>…<p>

"Ah, hello Bella." Billy said as the screen door opened.

"Hi, Billy. I heard Embry was staying here while he healed." My statement came out more as a question but he smiled sadly and nodded.

"Yes, I'm letting him stay in the girls' room until he's fully healed." He rolled away so I could walk in. "Seth." Billy greeted as I held the door open for him. His eyes widened when he saw all the containers Seth was carrying and I laughed.

"I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind." I stuttered quickly. The thought that I may not be welcome in Pack business anymore didn't really occur to me until now.

"Bella, you bringing food here is _never_ frowned upon." I couldn't help but laugh at that while I tried to help Seth set the containers on the table. I was right to cook for Embry, because it served as a good distraction with Seth all morning. "Besides, maybe it'll put Embry to sleep and he won't be such a pain in my ass." I heard a loud 'Hey!' from down the hallway and couldn't help but to laugh.

Billy stared in awe as I put a good chunk of lasagna on a plate followed by cheddar crusted potatoes, fried zucchini, and garlic bread around it. I grabbed a fork, knife, and some napkins while instructing Seth to pour him some soda, before walking down the hallway.

"Bella, baby, tell me my ears don't deceive me." He said as I walked in the room. I smiled at him but it was hard once I saw him. He was propped up in a sitting position with bandages over his ribs and some still healing bruises.

"Oh Embry." I rolled my eyes and walked over to the bed, placing the plate on his lap and sitting down beside him. His eyes popped and he almost started to drool at the sight before him. I swear, these boys never eat enough. God Bless the women who marry them and have to put up with their endless stomachs. Catching me completely off surprise, Embry turned and pressed his closed lips to mine in a split second kiss. I would've panicked, because now I had a boyfriend to worry about, but it wasn't a romantic type of a kiss. It actually reminded me like kissing a cousin or a very close friend.

"Thank you _so _much, Bella. This totally just cheered me up." He said before shoveling the food down his throat. He moaned at each taste and I just laughed and ruffled my hands through his hair.

"How are you feeling?" I asked while playing with his hair.

"Much better now." He said with a wink. I biffed his head and he continued to eat. "But seriously, I'm so pissed I let her get me. Bitch got away."

"Embry, this isn't your fault. I'm just upset you were hurt on my account."

"Oh shut up. We're designed to kill leeches, Bella. I should have been paying closer attention." He said with his mouth completely full of food. I smiled sadly and closed his mouth with my finger. He gave me a bashful look before chewing and swallowing the rest of the food in his mouth.

"As long as you're okay." I said softly. He gave me a warm smile and the door opened with Seth carrying two cups of soda.

"Sup Seth!" Embry said happily as he took a glass and chugged almost the entire cup. I smiled and left for the kitchen where Billy was shoving his face full of food in a plate I guessed Seth made for him.

"Delicious, Bella." He moaned gratefully. I laughed and readied some of the double chocolate cake on a new plate. I swore his eyes were going to fall from his skull. "If the rest of the pack sees this, they're going to start getting hurt on purpose." He teased. I smiled at him and brought the cake to Embry, who already finished all of his food.

"Those potatoes were the absolute shit, Bella! I think I'm in love." He rambled but his jaw just dropped when he saw the cake I was holding. "Wow." He whispered as I replaced his empty plate for the cake one. "Seth, you've got to try this." He moaned after he took a bite.

"Don't worry about that. I already had some food." Seth joked, making him glare. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table and frowned. It was 1:30 so I should leave. As much as I wanted to see Emmett, I was petrified at what I would find. Would he dismembered throughout the Cullen household? Would he be able to hold himself together?

"Alright, I have to get going. Feel better Embry." I said with a grin. He leaned up and I got his hint, leaning down we kissed each other's cheek like my Italian family always does when we see each other.

"Thank you for the food, Bella. I'm serious." It was strange seeing Embry so sincere, but I was happy about it.

"Of course. Feel better, Em." Seth walked me out to my truck and I stood there for a long moment before throwing my arms around him tightly. "Thank you for staying with me yesterday." I whispered into him.

"Anytime. I'm glad I could help. I hope Emmett gets better." Once we said our goodbyes, I hopped in the truck and pulled away to start the drive back to Forks. My phone rang and I flipped it open to put it on speaker.

"Hello?" I asked while putting the phone in my lap.

"Bella. Where are you?" Jasper's voice was urgent and I winced. I didn't expect him to be early. Of all times for the vampires not to be punctual…

"I'm on my way back from La Push. I made food for the wolf that was injured." I explained as I pressed the gas a little more. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be early." I added when he didn't speak.

"Don't apologize, Bella. I was just worried. Where are you?" His voice was laced with calm and I seriously wondered if his power could work from afar.

"I just crossed the La Push border." Instantly a whirling sound of wind came from the other end so I knew he was running. I flinched when the cab door opened and he chuckled before hanging up. "Damn vampire speed." I mumbled as he shut the door. He laughed at me and I couldn't help but to notice his worried eyes. "Something wrong?" I asked hesitantly. I don't know if I could deal with more bad news.

"I just miscalculated the situation. Things at the house aren't going well." He explained in a solemn voice. He calmed the panic before it caught it my throat. "Carlisle hasn't left Emmett's side and his healing seems to be taking longer than normal. Edward and Rosalie are stressed and their emotions are haywire. As if things couldn't get any worse, Alice started having some sort of emotional breakdown and I haven't been able to pull her from it." My head was swimming with all this information. The entire family stressed and hurt.

"Are you sure you still want to come over?" He asked hesitantly when I drove past my house. I nodded.

"I have to try to help somehow." He nodded in understanding and remained quiet as I turned in the Cullen driveway. "How are you feeling?" I asked. I remembered him yesterday, the Major threatening his body and mind.

"Much better. Thank you again for that, Bella." I smiled and parked the car, glad I was able to do something right. The closer we walked to the door, the more tension I was able to pick up on, probably much to Jasper's dismay. He frowned and mumbled an apology before running in ahead of me. I followed and instantly felt weighted down with stress and worry.

My eyes unconsciously gazed up the beautiful glass steps and I took a step towards them, before being enveloped in cold, familiar arms.

Jasper held me in his arms and as soothing as that felt, I know he was mostly doing it to prevent me from running upstairs. I could hear Emmett grunting and I could feel a sick pain in my stomach.

"How could this happen…" I whispered pathetically.

"It's not his fault. It was a newborn and he wasn't prepared." Jasper tried to soothe me but I was shaking from anger and despair. All I wanted to do was be near him. "Trust me Bella, if you saw him right now you'd pass right out." I winced at the truth of his words. They tried to rip him apart and some…pieces were separated from his body.

To my surprise, I noticed Alice sitting on the sofa curled up in a small ball rocking back and forth.

"Alice?" I asked, pulling away from Jasper's arms and walking towards her. She looked at me and I gasped in shock. Her eyes were gray. Not black like when they hungry, but gray with gold around the edges. Her hair was frizzy and she looked frazzled.

She looked like she was losing her mind.

"I can't." She sobbed desperately. I looked to Jasper whose face was in complete despair as he stared at his wife. "What is happening!" She screamed as she grabbed her head desperately.

Another shout of pain came from upstairs and my head spun. I wanted to see Emmett. Alice yelled as well. It was as though the world was swirling around me.

"Alice, it's okay." Jasper was at her side, kissing her face.

"Please, make it stop." She choked out. Jasper closed his eyes and touched her face. Her shaking body calmed and her body untensed. Her eyes slipped shut, as though she fell asleep but I'm sure she was just relishing in Jasper's ability. I walked on numb legs to the kitchen, where Esme stood sobbing silently into her hands.

"Esme." I whispered. She looked up at me, venom pooling in her eyes. She ran to me and hugged me as tightly as she ever could.

"I…" She tried to speak but just squeezed me tighter. I didn't question it and just hugged her as tight as I could manage. I understood her completely. She was terrified. Her two children were causing great distress in the house, her other son was almost murdered, her daughter was losing her mind, and she was forcing herself to keep it all together.

Esme Cullen's family was falling apart.

And I couldn't do anything to stop it.

"I want to help." I whispered against her comforting granite neck. She rubbed my back soothingly.

"I know." We walked back to the living room where Jasper was holding Alice tightly to her chest.

"Alice?" I asked. Her dark eyes lifted to mine but I knew she was looking through me as though she was hypnotized. They clouded over again and she started to groan in pain. I recognized the look in her eyes now; it was the same as when she was having a vision. In fact, everything about her at the moment was as though she was having a vision. Her stiff posture, glazed far away eyes, twitching fingers; all of it. It was as though…

I sat on the coffee table and reached out to hold her tiny hands in between mine.

"Bella?" Jasper whispered warningly. I could understand why. Alice was unstable and the last thing we needed right now is me getting hurt because of that. I sent him as much confidence as I could muster and he sat back slowly, his arm seeming ready to reach out and hold Alice back if necessary.

"Alice, you need to stop looking into the future." I commanded. For a split second, her eyes snapped back to the warm gold color I had grown so accustomed to and I saw the real Alice in there. But just as quickly as they came, the gray was back. "Trust me, please. I know sometimes you can't control it, but if you have to stop looking."

Jasper tensed and suddenly his hands were on her shoulders, appearing to hold her back. I never thought I'd see the day when Alice would snap at me, but I guess my life was just full of surprises lately. Her lips were pulled back into a menacing snarl and she snapped at me like a dog to someone it hated. I flinched back instinctually even though I knew she was no match for Jasper with his strength and military training.

Jasper's eyes were calculating as he watched me relax back into my normal position. My heartbeat had definitely spiked but I knew that I had to be strong.

"You need to stop looking! Think of your family! Esme and Carlisle are so worried about you Alice. Do it for me. Most importantly, do it for yourself and Jasper." At the mention of her mate, her eyes focused back onto mine.

Maybe I was expecting her to yell at me, or go crazy and start breaking things, but she did something completely unexpected.

She closed her eyes. Jasper was completely frozen as her form leaned forward.

"No!" The door burst open and a blur of white caught her before she fell on the floor. The blur, who I know realized was Edward, laid Alice on the couch and started cooing relaxing words to her motionless body. In an instant, Edward was pressed up against the far wall, Jasper choking his neck.

"What did you do?" Jasper snarled at him.

"Nothing! I could just hear her thoughts!" He tried to explain. I knew I couldn't handle settling the Major down again so I focused on as many calming thoughts as I could muster and pushed them his way. Slowly, he released Edward's neck one finger at a time until he was on his feet.

"What happened to my wife?" Jasper's menacing voice was enough to send a cold shiver down my spine. As crazy as Alice has been lately, Jasper was still her mate. He still loved her through thick and thin, and now he wants answers about her mental health. It was beautiful.

"From what I can gather from her mind the past few hours, it's as though her future-seeing ability is taking control." Panic rose within me and I realized how much I truly missed having Alice in my life—as a non-psycho sister. If this could explain her weird behavior, than I wanted it fixed immediately.

"Why isn't she moving?" Esme's voice was so heartbreaking, she could have brought an entire military fleet to its knees. In fact, she could have brought and army of sadistic newborn vampires to its knees,

"It's as though she's asleep." I added as I stroked the back of my knuckles on her icy face. Sadness filled me as I realized this is what death looked like. If I had been ignorant to this mythical world and found Alice Cullen lying like this, I would call the police and report the death of the sweet and mysterious girl.

"Actually, it's more of a coma." I flinched at the new voice and turned to see Carlisle assessing the situation with his tired gold eyes.

"You've seen this before?" Edward asked, momentarily distracted as Rosalie entered the room, her perfect face pulled in a tight façade of normalness. I had to respect Rosalie, even if she wanted to kill me on more than one occasion, because she sure knew how to put on a mask and keep the world out.

"Yes. It's been such a long time." His voice faded to a dull hum and I realized from the look in his eyes that he was lifetimes away in memory. "One thing is certain, the venom has forced her into this state for healing." Being the idiotic human I was, I didn't understand how the venom could force her to do anything. That was definitely a question I would need answered.

"What can I do for her?" Jasper asked miserably.

"Let her rest. I'm sure the cocktail of calm and relaxation you sent her triggered the healing process. It was a good thing you did it." Jasper nodded and carefully picked up Alice, who looked so much younger in her comatose state and he walked at a normal human pace up the steps, probably to place her in the bed they shared.

"How is Emmett?" Esme asked when the silence between everyone in the room became too much to bare. Carlisle, who was still lifetimes away, flinched at the voice but nodded quickly and held Esme close.

"He is healing at a surprising rate. He should be fine in a few hours. Bella, if you would like to see him, you can now. Just try to keep him still."

Well, I certainly didn't need to be told twice. I tripped twice running up the steps but couldn't find it in me to be embarrassed about it. I ran in the door and halted my movement completely when I saw Emmett lying on the bed.

Apparently, my chest had been feeling tightened since my panic attack the night before, because the second I saw him, my chest eased and a breath of air escaped me. He was absolutely flawless as I took in his shirtless form with a plain white sheet conveniently covering most of his right side. He smiled at me with those damn dimples and a bubbly tingle shot from my ankles to my throat and I couldn't help but to smile back.

"Hello, Handsome." I said breathlessly. His booming laughter made everything seem like a horrible nightmare. Alice going catatonic, Edward and Jacob trying to control my life, young werewolves getting hurt at my expense; all of it seemed so impossible.

"Hi, beautiful." His comment made my face heat up and he smiled at me. I was unable to control myself as I sprinted towards him and wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close. "Easy, Bells." He whispered. Like the complete idiot I was, I got lost in his eyes and forgot he was hurt. I pulled away, cussing to myself when his left arm wrapped it's way around my waist. Our emotions flooded together and I couldn't stop the tears that swelled in my eyes. The relief was so overwhelming that my eyes slipped shut.

"I'm so glad you're okay." I whispered so I could control my voice. He leaned forward a little and kissed me right above my right eye.

"I'm sorry I left you, Bells." His cool breath tickled my skin and I giggled a little through the few tears that managed to escape.

"S'okay." I mumbled. He sighed and pulled back slightly so he could look straight at my eyes.

"No, it's not, Bella. I left you completely unprotected. I didn't know the pack was watching for sure." His voice got lower. "All I wanted to do was see you, since Edward and Jacob brought up something about a panic attack?" I blushed and looked away from his eyes.

"Nope." He said whilst removing his arm from around my waist and holding my chin so I was forced to look him in the eyes. "Don't do that, Bells. Honesty policy—remember?" I sighed and let my eyes slip shut. I hated when he was right. And it wasn't like I wanted to keep things away from him, I was just too much of a coward to face them.

"Everything just became too much. I was so worried about you, and the pack that I just lost myself." I really wasn't in the mood to talk about all my trivial worries while Alice was in a coma and the rest of the Cullens stressed about what was going to happen next. He was quiet for a long moment so I opened my eyes so look at his soft ones. He opened his mouth and I expected him to say something supportive and calming to relax me.

"You stink." He said instead. My shoulders slumped and I scowled at him.

"Well aren't you Romantic." I folded my arms and tried to look away, which was impossible due to his grip on my chin. To my surprise, he leaned forward and a left a shockingly brief and sweet kiss on my lips. Even that tiny little connection sent my heartbeat soaring and my emotions into a deep state of calm.

"I'm just saying. I've been freaking out for hours and you've been rolling with the dogs?" I giggled at him and felt my muscles relax slowly.

"Embry got hurt so I made him food to distract myself since I wasn't aloud over until now." I saw his eyes soften with sadness at the thought of someone getting hurt. He was quiet for a long time before he dropped his hand and hugged me tightly to his broad, but comforting chest.

"I shouldn't have left you alone." He whispered, probably more to himself than anything. I took a deep breath of his sweet, cinnamon like scent of his shoulder, before lazily rolling my head to side to look at his neck. There, I saw a dark fissure line and winced. He immediately squeezed me a little tighter. "What's wrong?" He whispered. Although it scared me, I leaned forward and left a tiny kiss right above the line and frowned.

"They got so close." I went to reach out and touch the fracture, but his hand quickly caught mine and brought it up to his lips to kiss.

"It will never happen again. I won't leave you." I couldn't tell if he meant leave me as in die, or leave me as in this new relationship, but something tells me that there wasn't a difference in his book. "Don't touch it. It will be like touching broken glass." He murmured before letting go of my hand. I settled for letting it rest on his chest and relaxing to the sounds of his unnecessary breathing.

"Emmett?" I asked, forcing myself not to fall asleep in this perfect tranquil moment.

"Yes?"

"Is your venom the same as Carlisle's?" I wasn't sure exactly where the question came from, but now that I said it, I was really curious. Thinking about it now, I really didn't know all that much about the life I begged to be a part of.

"Of course not." He scoffed quietly. "See, you know how all fingerprints are different?" He started, flipping my hand over so he could run his fingers along the lines of my hands. I hummed for him to continue. "Well, think of venom the same way. No two vampire's venom is the same, because no one is the same."

"Huh. That makes sense." I added in a tired voice. The relief was too much and I never wanted to leave his side. I don't care how attached I am to him, I never wanted to go through that again.

"But that's not to say that some of us aren't connected through venom. Think of it as genetics, actually. Carlisle bit me, so his venom mixed with my blood and my body chemicals and my muscles and my everything, so my venom became unique to me, even if could somehow be traced back to him. That's why he's my 'father'." By this point, his fingers were making imaginary patterns on my wrist until I realized that he was tracing my crescent scar. "Because Carlisle created us, we sort of have this family bond that pulls us towards him. Alice and Jasper don't have that though, since Carlisle didn't create them." I suddenly found myself wondering if Jasper ever felt pulled to find and speak to Maria, the sadistic seductress who forced him to take the lives of hundreds.

Does that mean Alice and Jasper could leave at any point they wanted to, and not feel regret about it? Would they ever just pick up and leave?

"Bella." I turned to see Carlisle walking in. "I have to go with Emmett to continue with some of the healing process. Edward and Rosalie have left to try and track Victoria and her companion. Esme went to clear her mind and went shopping. Will you be okay with Jasper?"

I frowned and looked at Emmett. Of course, I had no problem staying with Jasper. I knew he would protect me. But I never wanted to let Emmett out of my sight again. I would never be able to deal with it if he got hurt again. Emmett reached out and brushed his fingers over my cheek, making the blood rush up to meet him. He smiled sadly and sent me as much reassurance as he could.

"Of course, Carlisle." I said without taking my eyes away from his. I leaned forward and left a swift kiss on his lips before leaving the room. I could feel the tightness in my chest threatening to return, but I forced myself to be calm. Emmett would be okay, I'm sure of it. After going to the restroom and splashing some cool water on my face, I passed by the now empty room and frowned.

I walked past the room and stopped in front of another. The door wasn't completely closed but I still lifted my hand up to knock softly. A soft 'Come in' vibrated the now empty house immediately.

I walked into the study, amazed at the hundreds of old dusty books that lined the shelves and the many candles that flickered around Alice, who was lying on the bed. Her chest rose and fell as though she was alive and human, and in fact, she looked like she was sleeping. I know this wasn't their bedroom, but I had a gut feeling Jasper would bring her here. Jasper sat bedside, rubbing circles onto her stone hand. His eyes met mine and I saw all of it. I saw the hurt and worry, the fear and anger, the worry and the love.

I saw Jasper.

"I heard your conversation with Emmett." He said softly before glancing at Alice again, as though making sure she was still there.

"So do you know what I want to ask?" I questioned, pulling up a chair from his desk and sitting on the opposite side of him, holding Alice's free hand.

"Not necessarily." He smirked and I was suddenly fascinated with Alice's perfectly blue painted nails with black designs.

"Do you ever feel pulled to find Maria?" I asked softly, knowing he would hear me now matter how quietly I tried to say it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him stiffen slightly before he continued to rub circles onto Alice's hand.

"No." I looked up in confusion, trying to understand what Emmett told me. "I did when I first left." He clarified. "When Peter and Charlotte came back for me, I was so relieved to be away from war. But when we parted ways, I found myself longing to find her again. Everything changed when I found Alice, of course." His words were so quiet that if I closed my eyes, it was as though he was the wind.

"So a mate can fight the bond?" I asked for clarification.

"A mate changes everything, Bella." He laughed once and I studied Alice's beautiful face. I longed for my sister to come back. Whatever this was had to be fixed soon. "If I were a nomad and had no reason to survive or stay in one place, I would eventually find Maria—whether I wanted to or not." With that, it all made sense and I nodded and we sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.

What was wrong with the world lately? Why was Alice losing her mind? Why was I such a damn danger magnet? Why did people have to get hurt on my account? Why were Edward and Jacob trying to control my life?

My body flinched as I thought of Edward and I felt Jasper's confusion.

"What do you think is wrong with Edward's eyes?" I asked casually. When he didn't answer, I looked up and saw the confusion evident on his face. "Don't you remember yesterday when Edward tried to slap me?" His eyes flared with anger but I could see the confusion still underlying beneath them.

"I…I'm unsure of what you mean." His eyebrows furrowed and I realized that Jasper, a vampire with supposed perfect memory, was trying to remember something.

"You said that you didn't stop him because something in his eyes confused you." My statement was coming out as a question and my head started to hurt.

"It's all a blur." He admitted the more he tried to think about it. I felt so bad for Jasper these past few days. His life was practically run by the Major when I was around.

"That's right." I whispered to myself. His eyes were burning into me so I cleared my throat and looked up at him. "Is there a way that I can speak to the Major?" I asked hesitantly. Instantly, his eyes told me _no, it's too dangerous._ But I could see the understanding flicker in his eyes when he realized that even though he might not remember, the Major might.

"He always listens, Bella. He sees everything as I do." He said quietly.

"I know. But I need to speak to him. He needs to be in control for you to remember." His lips pulled down into a small frown when he realized the truth behind my words. He stood suddenly and kicked his chair, thankfully not enough to break it or anything in the room.

He walked over to his desk and gripped it tightly, making the wood protest loudly. His head was hung low and a small sliver of fear crept into me when I realized that I had no clue what he was doing. He was taking deep loud breaths and clutching the desk so tightly his knuckles were turning even whiter than his normally pale skin. He was making small grunts and mumbles.

I could feel his anger and resentment but I was smart enough to not move. He took a deep breath and pried each of his fingers of the desk one at a time from his right hand. He still gripped with his left and appeared to be leaning on it for support. He carefully opened a top drawer and reached it with his free hand. I recognized instantly a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I wanted to protest, because I resented the smell of smoke but I was smart enough not to move or say anything. He took another deep breath before removing his left hand so he could hit the pack against his hand once. He proceeded to take one out and light it as though it was all habit.

Emmett told me once that alcohol didn't bother vampires, since the alcohol burned almost instantly, but some actually liked the taste. It made sense that some would like to smoke, since the taste was probably as addicting when they were humans without the consequences. After a few deep breaths with the cigarette I felt a small surge of confidence and stood as quietly as I could manage. I didn't approach him though, I knew that much.

"Jasper." I whispered as quietly as I could manage. His body twitched slightly at my voice but other than that, it didn't even appear that he heard me. My hands were folded in front of me, my thumb of my left hand digging into the palm of my right—a public speaking technique I learned in my speech class. "Major Whitlock?" I asked in a more confident voice.

Slowly, at a nice human speed, Jasper turned to me, cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. I noticed how erect his posture was and his calculating look in his eyes made me feel as though I was glued to where I stood. He assessed me for a few moments before reached up to pull the cigarette from his mouth and blow out some of the white, disgusting smoke. The smell didn't bother me in small doses, so I hoped I would be okay.

"Isabella." His voice was completely different than what I expected. Not only was it not the smooth one of Jasper I was so familiar with but it wasn't even the menacing growl that I had heard when Jasper lost it yesterday. This voice was rough and sounded, dare I say, more human than anything I heard from a vampire. I could completely hear his southern accent, not the subtle drawl that Jasper would sometimes let out when he spoke of his past or let himself relax.

I opened my mouth to speak but something within me reminded me that I wasn't speaking to Jasper, I was speaking to the most feared vampire war general probably in history. "May I ask you a question, sir?" I asked, keeping my eyes averted from him. He paused to suck in another hit as his eyes continued to assess me. I suddenly felt very vulnerable and weak under his gaze.

"Permission granted." He said, the white smoke gentle pooling from his lips.

"Yesterday, when Edward almost attacked me, you—I mean, Jasper hesitated because he saw something in his eyes. When I asked him about it, he couldn't remember." He just stared at me, with something similar to humor glistening in his eyes, and I realized I hadn't asked him a question. "Did you see what I saw in his eyes?"

Another pause. "Yes." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, because I didn't want to do anything to anger him, even if the soldier in Jasper swore never to let harm come to me.

"Can you explain what it was?" I asked, biting my lip and digging my thumbnail harder into my palm.

"You won't like the answer." I was confused because from what I was told, the Major was ruthless and didn't care for feelings at all.

"I don't care." He smirked at that and took another hit of his cig.

"Fascinating." He said more to himself. "Human blood." I froze with fear because I realized how dangerous this was. He laughed once, a cold and petrifying sound. "That's what his eyes meant. He's been drinkin' from humans." He spoke so casually, as though we were discussing the weather but my mind kicked into overdrive.

Edward? Edward was drinking from humans? Edward, who valued every human aspect of life, was drinking from them?

"But…how has no one noticed?" I asked aloud. The Major shrugged and flicked the finished cigarette into the trash before lighting another one. The room already had a thin film of smoke hovering about but I didn't say anything.

"He is their golden boy. Not only do they not suspect him to do anythin' wrong, but their subconscious wouldn't let them notice if that were the case." I couldn't help but totally agree with that. "His eyes weren't red because he drank as much animal blood as he could manage." I didn't miss the way he grimaced. The Major didn't like animal blood all that much, that I could see. "When Emmett and he fought, even though Emmett would have won the fight, Edward was slow and sluggish because he was overfilled with blood to hide his eyes. But human blood ignites our primal instincts to survive. When you angered him, you saw fire in his eyes, correct?" He asked in a calm controlled voice.

"Yes." I answered immediately. He shrugged as though that gave me all the answers, which I guess it sort of did. He looked over to Alice, his cigarette hanging from his lips and frowned.

"I have failed her." He said so softly, I almost missed it. We were quiet for a long minute before I let out a breath of air I didn't know I was holding.

"Thank you for protecting me recently." I said without moving my eyes from Alice.

"I am a soldier, Miss Bella. It was no trouble." When he said Miss Bella, I suddenly realized that's why Jasper must call me that. If the Major was always watching, he probably took the reigns sometimes.

Another silence.

"In fact, I should thank you personally for pulling Jasper back when I was…less than forgiving." I looked at him and noticed he was staring right at me. I wanted to tell him it was no trouble at all, that I would have done it for anyone, that I wanted to help, but I knew that no one probably ever received such kind words or treatment from him.

"Of course."

Another silence.

It was so strange to me. I had heard all the horror stories of the Major, yet he was acting so calm and collected to me.

"I know Jasper already answered this question, but I am curious. Do you ever long to return to Maria?" I asked softly. He snorted. Jasper Whitlock _snorted_. I was so amazed at how human he was acting. If the God of War was a violent murdering beast, then why did he act so…normal when there wasn't a battlefield involved?

"Not for the friendly ways you may believe." I shuddered at the truth of his words. Maria ruined Jasper's life—both human and vampire. He wanted revenge. "But she is where I belong now." He said, gazing at Alice again. I couldn't believe that tiny Alice had tamed this savage man.

"Her visions…do you have any idea why they're taking over?" I asked. The cigarette moved around his lips slightly and his head cocked to the side as he thought.

"Something inside of her is wrong." He explained. "I need to do more research and pick at Carlisle's ancient brain." I nodded. "Vampires don't get sick, Miss Isabella. But sometimes, for reasons that we don't even understand, they go through periods of insanity. They lose their damn minds. Alice was treated like a prisoner—a mistake—in her human life. Sometimes, she has flashbacks so vivid she can't speak for days." I frowned at this new information. I had always hoped that all the vampire memories would erase or ease the ones of her horrible human life. "Her venom is different then most. There is not a doubt in my mind that the answer to her problem lies within her venom."

It was all so much to handle. I had expected the Major to throw me around a bit, or yell at me, or intimidate me. But he was nothing but cooperative. Edward drank from humans. Alice's problem has to deal with her venom. I shook my head and took a deep breath.

"Thank you for speaking to me, Major." He smirked a crooked confident smile at me. I didn't miss how dangerously attractive he was in this second. I couldn't help but to wonder if his, dare I say, sexy good looks and charm was a reason so many people followed him.

"I'll always be watching, Isabella. You are wise beyond your years. If you have any more questions, or if you just need to talk to me, you know where I'll be." I couldn't find it in me to be annoyed that he called me by my too formal first name.

"Emmett and I are not linked by venom, Isabella." He said after a short silence. I tilted my head in confusion. "But he is as much my brother as anyone in this damned existence. You are good for him. And he is good for you."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"Let me give you one piece of advice. In all my years with Alice, one important thing I have learned is that when two people care about each other, your heart starts to make judgment calls—not your brain. When the time comes, you must decide which one you need to listen to."

I nodded and turned to the door as he flicked his cigarette in the trash. He sat down by Alice and grabbed her hand again. I couldn't help but to be mesmerized as he leaned forward and ever so softly whispered to her. "Come back to me." Then, his dark eyes and formal posture shifted and I recognized Jasper once more. His eyes drooped as though he was tired and I realized that allowing the Major to take over must be an exhausting process. He didn't look at me, and I wasn't up for any more discussion so as quietly as I could manage, not that it mattered, I left and shut the door with a gentle click.

My head and heart felt heavy as I walked down the hallway. Edward was drinking from humans. I walked down to the door when it opened to reveal Emmett. He hugged me immediately and I smiled.

"Good to see you walking, you big lug." I said into his chest. His laughter rumbled off my face. He kissed the top of my head.

"Nope! Off to bed, Emmett!" Carlisle commanded somewhere behind Emmett. I laughed at Emmett's childish whine from his father's order.

"Come on, pops, there's no harm in holding her." Emmett tried to protest. I saw Carlisle's menacing fatherly glare and smiled. "Damn old man." Emmett muttered, earning a slap on the back of his head like they did on NCIS. I giggled.

"I have to get going anyway. I'm going to make Charlie some dinner." In reality, I just didn't want to be here when Edward arrived, otherwise I was going to reveal his entire secret to everyone and I didn't know if that was path to go about yet. He pouted and I reached up on my tip toes to give him a swift kiss. "I'll text you." He smiled at that before going with Carlisle upstairs.

"Bye, Bella." He called from the top of the stairs. I laughed and waved goodbye.

…

"You expecting company, Bells?" Charlie asked with his mouth full. I was almost relieved, because he hadn't seemingly taken one breath after I put the plate of leftover food from Embry in front of him. I was actually worried that he was going to stop breathing just so he could eat.

"Not that I know of." I trailed off, standing up and stretching slightly. The phone rang and with a heavy sigh, he forced himself away from the mountain of food. I rolled my eyes as I headed to the door.

"Men." I opened the door and was completely shocked by who I saw standing there in the drizzling rain, holding a few grocery bags, with wide smooth brown eyes and a shy smile.

"Hi Bella." She said in a hesitant voice. I was still in complete awe she was here.

"Angela?" I asked, just to be sure. "What are you doing here?" I questioned curiously. In her other hand which didn't hold grocery bags, she held up a pack of double stuffed Oreos.

"Jacob told me about what happened yesterday." A warm feeling filled my stomach. "About him and Edward, about what happened to Emmett, and about everything that happened with you. I'm not a rocket scientist or anything, and coming over unannounced probably wasn't the best idea, but all of that meets the requirements of an emergency girl night." She gushed quickly, blushing all the while. I couldn't help but to smile at her because she was trying so hard.

Immediately, I wanted to tell her I was okay, and that she didn't need to worry about anything like I would to anyone who came and wanted me to talk about my problems, but then I realized that I _didn't_ want to send her away. Angela knew about this life now. I _didn't_ need to hide things from her just because she was human.

"I'm sorry. I should have called…" She trailed off awkwardly. I shook my head and threw my arms around her tightly. She managed to somehow hug me even while holding everything.

"Thank you. Come inside." I said after I pulled away.

When I shut the door, I noticed Charlie come joggin down the steps in his uniform.

"Was that the station?" I asked even though clearly I saw the answer. He nodded gravely.

"Yes, another missing teen a few towns over. I'll probably be there most of the night." He stopped when he saw Angela. "Hello, Miss Weber." He said politely as he finished getting ready.

"Hi, Chief Swan." She said politely. "Is now a bad time? I could leave…" Always so considerate, but Charlie probably didn't miss the way my eyes widened in fear at the thought of her leaving.

"No, no. It's fine. I'm actually glad you're here. It means Bella won't be alone." I smiled at him and he gave me a subtle wink. Within ten minutes, Charlie was pulling out of the driveway in his cruiser to face probably what was another problem of Victoria. Angela had put the two pints of ice cream in the freezer and poured us some milk.

"So did Jake send you here?" I asked curiously as we set up on the couch. I offered her a blanket and we settled on either end of the sofa. She laughed a tiny laugh.

"Hardly. I sent him away once he told me what happened. He was a total jerk to you." She ripped open the Oreo bag and we eagerly dove in.

"He told you everything?" I asked while licking one. She shook her head.

"No. All he said was that he started acting like Edward and flipped when he found out about you and Emmett. He got pretty offended when I wouldn't take his side." Just hearing Emmett's name made a small blush climb to my cheeks.

Unable to resist myself, I dove into what transpired the night before. She sat there and watched me ramble without interruption. She nodded and listened diligently as I flailed my arms around and complained.

"I know they think they have my best interest at heart, but seriously, that's a load of bull. I expect it from Edward now, because of his crazy obsessive ways, but Jacob was a curve ball I wasn't planning on. They both have someone so why can't they stay out of my business?" I finished with a loud huff. Most of the package of Oreos were gone by now. "Sorry." I said bashfully when I realized just how much I rambled on.

"It's perfectly fine." She said quickly. She seemed almost giddy with the fact that I rambled. "I agree with you though. I get that they care about you, but it's your life and your decisions." Even though I wasn't all that close with Angela, I noticed something hiding in her voice. She blushed when she caught my eye and sighed. "Jacob let it slip about your…plans to be like the Cullens."

Of course _Jacob_ would.

"Ahh, yeah." I trailed off awkwardly, realizing that Angela probably wouldn't understand or judge me for my choice. Her eyes watched her warily and I could see the questions she wanted answers to in her eyes, but like always, Angela bit her tongue and nodded.

I tried not to see the way her eyes glazed with tears slightly at the thought.

"I'm glad to see you eating." I damn near blurt out like a moron. Her hand, which had grabbed a cookie, paused momentarily and I could see an inner fight as she looked between it and the package. Her shoulders rolled back with soft determination and she popped the entire cookie in her mouth no problem. I smiled warmly at her and waited for her to finish.

"I promised Jacob I would try. He's been nothing but supportive, of course, but I know he worries about me now." I snorted and she gave me a strange look.

"He would worry about you no matter what." She blushed slightly and played with her hands. "I'm serious. You could wear a Halloween sumo-wrestler fat suit and have terrible sunburn, and that boy would kiss the ground you walked on."

We laughed together and it was easy. For the first time since I moved to Forks, being with a human companion was _easy._

A buzz from her pocket distracted her and I slipped her phone out of my pocket, flipping it open to find a message from Emmett.

'_Despite what lies Carlisle may tell you, I'm feeling loads better if you happen to be looking for company.'_ I couldn't help but smile as I read it.

'_Angela stopped by and surprised me with girl talk and food. I'll call you tonight. I'm glad you're feeling better.'_ I replied swiftly but Angela still caught me and gave me a knowing smile.

"I'm terrified of losing him." I blurted out. Her eyebrows shot up and she tilted her head in confusion. "That's what I was telling him yesterday in the rain. I was so terrified to let him in because I know he'll be the best thing that's ever happened in my life. And if he's the best…then what happens if I lose him?" I shuddered at the thought. If I thought losing Edward was hard…could I even survive Emmett not being in life?

The answer was clear and left an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.

No, I wouldn't.

"That's crazy." She said, surprising me. "I told you before. When you guys are together…it's like magic. The entire universe revolves around you two when you touch. He's crazy about you, Bella. You guys have something unexplainable." I bit my lip and tossed the idea in my head, but decided the hell with it and told her anyway.

"Emmett slipped up a while back." Her eyes widened in fear, so I figured I should speak quickly. "He had a complete meltdown afterwards because of all the guilt he felt. No one could break him out of it." Sadness bubbled inside of me at the memories of talking to a wall for hours on end in hopes of him coming back.

"But you did?" She whispered softly, obviously seeing that I was thinking hard about something. I didn't fight the blush down as I nodded.

"Somehow. And when he _did_, he wouldn't speak. He was so terrified that the family would disown him or some nonsense like that."

"I can't imagine Emmett not speaking…" She trailed off, more to herself than anything. I grimaced.

"It was the scariest thing. But, some weird things have been happening since. Whenever I'm in danger…he knows." I had to force myself not to give out every detail like I was tempted to. For starters, there's a wolf somewhere running around and I sure as hell don't need them letting that slip to the pack. Second of all, there's a psycho vampire who could use this against me. And finally, to my knowledge, Edward still didn't know about it. And I'd like to keep it that way. Although I'm sure he's going to have his questions after my meltdown last night.

"He knows?" She prompted to force me from my thoughts.

"Yes. And I know when he's in danger too." She shook her head and I felt bad for dumping all my issues on her. "That's what happened last night. I felt him being hurt."

"I'm sorry you had to go through all this alone." She said after a few minutes.

"I wasn't alone…" I tried to argue, but saying it sounded sour from my mouth. Just like usual, Angela was right.

"Yes, you were. When the Cullens left…none of us understood what happened to you and we didn't know how to help. Even though you had Jacob, that entire normalcy got messed up with the whole werewolf thing. I know there's a lot I don't understand yet, but I want you to know that I am here for you, Bella." My heart swelled at her kind words.

"Thank you….so much." I whispered so I could keep my voice under control.

We spent the next few hours laughing and talking about the men in our lives, the supernatural, and eating junk food. I was amazed at how much she was trying to eat—even if it was all unhealthy for her. I could see the happiness in her eyes. Angela was a girl who was nice to the foulest of human beings and never once asked for a damn thing in return, she deserves Jacob. The more I spoke with her and saw the selfless and fragile girl, the better I accepted the whole imprinting situation.

Once the sun set and we nearly drank all the soda she bought, she gazed out the window in deep thought.

"You should tell him how you feel, ya know." She said after we finished cleaning up our trash.

"What?" I asked dumbly. She smiled at me sweetly. She never got annoyed that sometimes I asked stupid things, or zoned out, or couldn't form coherent thoughts. She was totally fine with my annoying self.

"You should tell Emmett about what you're feeling. If you guys have an honesty policy, then he deserves to know, don't you think?" I knew she was right, but damn it I didn't want her to be.

"I know." I mumbled, jumping when the doorbell rang.

"Who's there?" I shouted from behind the door. Even if a vampire or werewolf could bust through the door with minimal effort, I didn't need to be hurt by some stupid human.

"The dumbass who doesn't deserve the time of day." I wasn't really up for seeing him, but I noticed how quickly Angela ran to the nearest reflection to adjust her hair and smooth her clothes. She was crazy about Jacob.

"What?" I asked, opening the door to face him.

"I wanted to apologize. To the both of you." In either hand was a bouquet of flowers, which earned him some surprised eyebrows. "I'm an ass. Bella, I know I already apologized but I still feel guilty as hell. I haven't been a good best friend to you, and I'm willing to do anything to make it up." He said as he handed me one of the bouquets. "Angela, I was stupid in assuming you would take my side when clearly I was the one who was wrong. I've just been trying to keep everything the same and it hasn't worked." He handed her the other one. Her entire face glowed with happiness as she took a deep whiff of the flowers.

"Do you both forgive me?" He asked when we just shared a look. We smiled at him and at the same time explained.

"There was nothing to forgive." We laughed and I walked to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. I absentmindedly sorted the flowers, allowing myself to get lost in the colors. I didn't rush, since I knew they were probably having a moment of some sort.

Emmett was alive. He was injured, but he was healing. Embry Call was alive. Injured, but healing. No one is dead.

I miss Alice. She hasn't been herself lately, but I know that whatever it is that's taking over her visions is what's causing her strange behavior. I need her to wake up from this coma. Jasper needs her to wake up.

What was going on in the world?

My phone buzzed so I answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey." Emmett's rough familiar voice was like music to my ears.

"Emmett." I sighed in relief. "Something wrong?" I questioned.

"No, I just needed to hear your voice. It's been a hectic day." I laughed in agreement. "Plus, Alice mentioned your name and since I'm not aloud to leave without Carlisle, I had to call you."

"Alice?" I cut in quickly. "She's awake?" My hope spiked.

"No. She shouts random stuff that doesn't really make sense. We think it's visions that are forcing their way in. She shouted your name, so I had to be sure you were okay." My heart ached for my best friend. She didn't deserve all this pain—all this heartache.

"It's probably because Jacob showed up. She searches for me all the time, so maybe it was just habit." I suggested, frowning at the thought that I caused her pain.

I heard the door shut.

"Jake left!" I heard Angela call.

"Okay!" I shouted back. "But yeah, like I said, maybe some are just forcing their way through."

"Maybe." I could almost hear him shrug. I sighed and looked up to gaze out the kitchen window when a blur of movement caught my eye. I tilted my head and squinted, trying to look out into the darkness.

Angela came in and sat by the table as Emmett and I talked before giving me a wink and walking back into the living room. A few minutes later, I heard the television turn on as Emmett and I joked about nonsensical things.

I was in the middle of laughing at one of his cheesy jokes when a small thud came from the kitchen. "What was that?" Emmett asked curiously.

"I don't know." I admitted honestly. "Angela? You alright?" I called out. But I heard nothing. "Hello?" I tried again.

Something slammed this time and I let out an instinctual yelp.

"Bella?" He asked seriously.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to peak around the corner.

"I heard movement." His words were dark and almost unfamiliar. Against my better judgement I crept towards the archway and slowly peaked my head around the corner. "I'll be there soon." The familiar rushing noise filled my ears.

"Angela?" I whispered. I figured that if it was a vampire, I wouldn't have a chance in hell of defending myself anyway.

I tip-toed into the living room, and immediately my heartbeat started racing. Where was Angela?

I went to move in front of the couch when my eyes locked on the ground. My breath caught in my throat and my vision blurred. My hands went numb and I barely noticed the phone slipping from my hand and crashing like glass onto the ground.

There, on the ground, Angela Weber lie on her back, eyes shut and soft moans escaping her lips. Her shirt was drenched in dark red blood and a small pool formed beside her. I let out a strangled scream as I took in the sight of her.

The door slammed open so hard, I was sure some hinges broke, not that I cared. I barely noticed the large forms of two or three of the pack come flying in but I couldn't take my eyes off of Angela. I crouched down next to her and cradled her head in my hands.

"Ang?" I whispered, tears slipping down my face. Her eyes opened lazily and tried to focus on mine.

"Bella…" She trailed off, but I shushed her.

"I'm so sorry." I cried. She shook her hand and tried to lift her hand. I went to grab it, thinking she wanted me to hold it, but instead heard the familiar sound of paper. I unraveled the paper and read the words written in blood.

'_Give yourself up to me, or next time your friend won't be so lucky. Next time, I'll make her suffer. Next time, she won't survive._

_~V'_

* * *

><p><strong>Ta da!<strong>

**Not really. There were some parts clearly where I was really into writing it! For instance, the whole Jasper/Major and Bella scene. I really enjoyed that one.**

**Okay. Yes, Seth liked Bella. Clearly. Seriously, there's no doubt in my mind that he did in the books.**

**I thought checking in on Embry would be a lighthearted break in between.**

**The Cullen house certaintly is chaotic! I know some of you are probably confused as to why Edward and Rose aren't the spotlight, and that's because right now, Alice is. The family is so concerned with her that they don't have time to fight with them. There will be more issues with them coming.**

**Poor Alice. =( Sorry guys, but I knew this was going to happen to her chapters ago! Wait till you see what I have up my sleeve! I hope it's okay.**

**I hope the venom explanation (treating it like genetics) made sense!**

**The Jasper&Bella scene was my favorite part of the chapter. I know, the Major doesn't seem like anything you would imagine, but that's exactly how I pictured the war general when he wasn't at war. I liked making him more human. To me, it made him more deadly. Hope you enjoyed that!**

**Angela's surprise was for some much needed girl time that sometimes we all need!**

**And the ending. Sorry about the ending. Hate to say that this was destined since Jacob imprinted on her! Some emotional shit next chapter to come with her, Jacob, Emmett, and Victoria!**

**And don't think I forgot about 'mystery man' and Victoria. A lot will make sense next chapter. **

**The wolves not seeing who attacked Angela is possible, in my book, because they're all so focused on hunting down that trail that the ones guarding the house are frequently distracted. Plus they couldn't smell him. **

**Okay. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was brutal to write, so I hope the next one will go much smoother!**

**Please review! I know it wasn't my best, so don't be too hard on me!**

**Hugs, Kisses, and Apologies.**

**~Pepper**


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